SECOND CHANCES
by Han dj
Summary: Emma wants a second chance with Regina, problem was that, there's no more Regina to have second chance with, so she threw caution to the wind and accepted Mr. Gold's help to get her one and only chance.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Nobody owns the characters of OUaT but ABC. The plot is all mine.

Summary: Emma wants a second chance with Regina, problem was that, there's no more Regina to have second chance with, so she threw caution to the wind and accepted Mr. Gold's help to get her one and only chance.

Author's note: I am not new with fan fiction, but I am in OUaT-verse. I was curious how ABC used ELSA for the show so I decided to watch the series from the start (So I could understand the plot of course) and by the gods... I got "Killian" by the show, and after reading so many great SWANQUEEN fan fics, I got hit with plots. This is one of those bunnies.

I come to think about the phrase "second chance"... would you still call it _that_ if you didn't had a chance in the first place? Jeez, I hope you get what I mean, cause I don't get it myself. No beta (As usual), I'll be rating this M not because there will be S-E-X in detail that I can promise, but because I don't know where my mind will lead me regarding this story.

This story takes place during the Season 3's last three episodes. I haven't watched the series again and again (Unlike Xena) so I have not memorized the lines yet, due to this fact, I'm not going to make a mediocre out of this story by putting "dialogues" that aren't accurate in the canon series. Fair warning... there will be scenes/actions that will be change, if not then this won't be a fan fiction anymore, yes?

**Second Chances**

_Prologue_

Zelena was at the middle of the charmed ring she made. Her collectibles on top of the golden dishes, situated on the four spaces that symbolizes the four elements. She was exchanging magical blow by blow with her little sister – Regina Mills – Ex-Evil Queen, Mayor, Mother and _lucky_ daughter. The funny part is that... she never thought her younger sister had that strength in her.

_What had caused this surge of power!_

She growled in her thoughts. She knew she could take this woman on in a single blow. She doesn't have to restrain her power now since she already got what she wanted... in a few minutes and if this infuriating witch could just die already; she could get on with her plan, dive into the time portal and make sure REGINA isn't born and then _she_ will have the love of their mother and _she_ will have everything she dreamed of having.

_But that's the problem now isn't it? This woman just won't die! And if she gets any __**luckier**__ she could get a shot at me and __**I**__ die instead!_

And that's when it hit her. She looked around while they were taking a breather. The Prince and the Queen were in a corner of the barn holding their baby... the baby that was supposed to be at one of the dishes and yet she could feel the portal continue to open...

_It's finally done! _

She happily thought and then she looked at her younger sister's heart, lonely on that dish. In a fast move, she flicked her wrist and the heart was teleported to her hand.

"That is my heart, give it back to me!" Regina screamed in a mix of anger and horror as she raised her hand and once again shoots a white magical power from it. It was greater in diameter and much more powerful than what the envious woman had felt just minutes ago. The power had hit her hard on the chest and if not for the emerald colored pendant hanging on her neck, she would have died instantly. Instead she was blown away out of the circle that was turning on in red and yellow dust, her hand that was holding the Dark One's dagger released it, her eyes went wide when she saw the Dark One stopped his assault on the so called savior and the pirate. He wasn't moving yet but she knew her life's forfeit if she doesn't get the dagger back...

_I'm not dying alone..._

Her thought once again turned to her black haired sister and then she looked at her other hand that has her heart and then she grinned.

"Nooooo!"

-0-

"You have to forgive me Ms. Swan, but as ordered..." Mr. Gold or Rumplestiltskin said in his impassive facial expression as he held out a hand and flung the blonde haired woman and her cohort, the black haired pirate, to the wall opposite Emma's parents, and just a few spaces off Regina's heart.

Emma's green eyes widened and suddenly there was panic in them when she saw the heart disappeared and then looking behind the Dark One was the wicked witch now holding said organ. The majorly blackened heart with spots of pink everywhere, glowing and beating... and if she heard right, that evil sister of the mayor has no use of it anymore and she's going to end Regina's life.

NO.

She can't have the witch killing Henry's mother. Not when she had decided that once this mess is dealt with, she's going to confess to the gorgeous mayor and then swift her off her feet. Henry promised her that Regina had ended their relation with that bastard thief... the kiss she witnessed was just that, a kiss of confirmation and that there was nothing to confirm! And she knew why... because of all the times they have fought, of all the times they had played tag with Henry as the rope, of all the times they have talked in anger... Regina wants her. So no... she's not going to let that bitch kill her love one – that is if she could get the damn imp to release her or if she could over power him despite not having powers anymore. Because, duh... if she has one, she should have been there with Regina at this very moment!

And then she saw the _bitch_ got thrown by a powerful blast by _her bitch_ and that puts a smile on her face. The power that had render her and the blasted pirate immobile had ceased, she could move. So she looked again and saw the dagger lying on the floor, far away from the meanie and from her. Panic resettled when she saw the maniacal grin on the wicked witch's face as she looked at the beating heart... she knows what she's about to do...

"NOOOOO"

-End Prologue-

Cliff hanger? I don't think so. Lol. Sorry mates, I like reading angst fic about Regina or about a lot of characters but I can't for the love of Regina can't write a very angst story. I don't think I was born for it. Anywho, since I'm currently addicted to SQ and since I finally got the bunnies and the laziness to leave me for a while, I'm continuing on writing this fic. I just wish I get juice flowing. Argh...


	2. Chapter 2

**Second Chances**

_Chapter 1_

"SWAN!" The man in full leather plus black mascara called out as he run after the blonde haired savior. They were once again in the damn barn, that wretched place where it all ended... the happiness he means. Well, not everyone's happiness was his concern, but the happiness of this one _is_ and if this woman is thinking what he was suspecting, then perhaps, the late mayor was right, she is an **idiot**! "You have to stop SWAN!" he shouted again and this time, he finally got a hold on the blonde's elbow and without grace, he turned her his way, "What the hell are you thinking?"

The sheriff frowned, her eyes wore a determined look though they were puffy and congested. Well that happens a lot now especially every time the Savior gets to think about _her_ Regina. It shouldn't have ended the way it did, they all should have gotten out of the mess that the wicked witch started alive, including the _bitch_ herself. But no... damn fate went crazy and they let them all live except for _her._ Well, that damn green witch have survived that day and was imprisoned without magic. As it turned out, remove the damn necklace and she would be as vulnerable as the others, except of course as Regina's. The damn gorgeous woman needs no necklace to be strong and that's true power.

"Stay out of my way Hook!" she growled as she snatched her elbow from the pirate with force. "This is none of your business."

The look on the pirate's face was scary, but well, the woman is Emma Swan for the love of Christ and only one person had made her antsy with just a glare, and it's not the woman's mother. "You are my business Swan."

Emma turned her back on the pirate, "Not because we shared one or two kisses Hook means that I become your business. Those kisses? They're nothing."

"You wound me Swan,"

"Then get the hell out of here." She started to walk.

"Your father, mother and son are all worried." He said following the blond, "You shouldn't have made a deal with Gold. That bastard is sneaky."

Emma stopped and swirled around to face the persistent bastard, "What I do with anything or anyone, again, is not your fucking business,"

"But it is your family's," he stopped walking of course unless he wants to bump into the fiery blonde and get burned.

"What now? You and my parents are best of friends?"

"Time change love,"

"I've told you million times to stop calling me that!" she turned around again and proceeded walking. She stopped as she opens the barn's gate and saw the still clear imprints of the time portal the witch made.

"We haven't met that long for me to say it a million times Swan," Emma growled at the man who had followed her.

"Just leave me alone,"

"I can't let you do this!" Hook shouted, "That crocodile will do nothing good!"

"I know,"

"Then why make a deal with him?"

"I didn't,"

Silence. Emma looked at the pirate who had walked in front of her and was facing her, eyes bore surprise, and his mouth was making an 'o'. "Will you please get out of my way?"

"You didn't make a deal?"

"I already said that,"

"But I saw you and him talking..."

She sigh a deep sigh of irritation, "Just because people talk to each other doesn't mean they are into something fishy. We all are not like you."

"The crocodile is absolutely not like me."

"What I do or talk with Mr. Gold isn't any of your business damn it,"

"But-"

"But no, leave me alone." She said pushing the pirate to the side harshly. She then took something from the pocket of her favorite red jacket and then she threw it at the center of the circle.

"What the fuck! Swan that was the wicked witch's necklace." and then Hook's eyes widen when Emma took a pick axe that was leaning to the bar wall, and he was sure it was one of the pick axe the dwarves use. "SWAN! What the hell..."

He didn't finish that sentence when Emma hurriedly walked to the center and hit the necklace shattering it.

-0-

[One month prior]

"You killed her you bitch!" The sheriff wanted nothing else that day but to erase that fucking smirk off the woman who had killed the woman she loves. That fucking woman who had crashed that precious heart in her hand, turning it into dust. She watched as Regina gripped her chest, convulsed... she held her in her arms when the agony stopped and the life force of the gorgeous woman left. "I'm going to kill you!"

If not for the strong arms of David Nolan a.k.a Prince Charming a.k.a King James, Emma would have unlocked the door there and then erase that bitch into oblivion with nothing but her fist, but alas, heroes doesn't kill their enemies right? _Fuck_ she thought, _I am no hero damn it!_

"Did you feel it?" The red headed witch asked grinning, "Her life force leaving her body? I sensed it from where I was, and I know you are a magical being as well, I'm sure you have felt it."

"Fuck you!" Emma once again struggle against her father's hold.

"Let it go Emma, we will have justice for Regina." He calmly said.

"Let it go?" She shouted as she looked up at her father's sad face, "First she stole Regina's heart and then she crashed it in front of me Dad! Would you let it go if it was mom's heart?!" she asked angrily.

David has no answer to that, he knows that if it was Snow in Regina's place, he'll probably kill the bitch there and then and he still wouldn't be contented. He let a deep sigh though, "I will probably kill her," he said since it was the truth.

"Then let me!"

"No,"

"Why not? You're being a hypocrite dad!"

"Maybe, but I'm not letting you do it because if you do especially in your state right now, you may not come back. I'm sure Regina wouldn't want you to walk the path she took a long time ago, think about it, if not for you at least for Henry."

"Fuck what she said Dad! She's dead... she fucking died! She was being good and then **she** took her! Where's justice in that?" Emma stopped fighting her father and then she slumped on the chair behind her and cried. "I should have told her I love her dad, I should have been the one making her smile not that thief... not Robin! It should be me! And damn that Hook! if he didn't get cursed, if he didn't got that feeling for me, I wouldn't have been stripped of my power, I could have saved Regina!"

The wicked laugh in the cell caught her attention again and she bristles once more, "You fucking bitch..." she growled. She was about to stand and attack the cell once again when a purple smoke billowed inside the cage. At first, Emma was struck with feeling of hope, that maybe her Regina didn't really die, that it was all a ruse to distract her sister so they could capture her and render her powerless. But then the smoke cleared and that hope flew away when Rumple or Gold or whatever appeared, empty handed aside from his cane.

"If I were you dearie, I would listen to the sheriff, she is the authority after all!"

"Gold..." David mumbled in his shock, he tried to get to the cell to open it and get the man out but he can't, "What have you done to me?!"

Mr. Gold turned and looked at the father and daughter, "I am not your enemy here King James," he said grinning, "You have nothing to be afraid really, you could resume moving once I am done here."

"Gold! Don't you dare touch her, Regina wouldn't want her to be killed!"

"Dad!"

"She talked to me Emma! Before all this happened, she told me that Zelena is her only family left and that she wants her to be taken alive, rehabilitate." he confessed.

"I can't believe her..."

"I apologize King James but I am not you, and Regina didn't confide that to me, and even if she did..." he grinned his usual evil grin then turned to face the woman sitting on the bed, "And even if she did, I am not oblige to cater to her request, besides, this isn't for Regina." he said before he used his magic to flung the much taller woman against the wall before he stepped closer.

"Don't do this Gold," David said.

"And what King James? Are you going to put me in trial for bringing justice to my son?"

"You killed your own son idiot!" The red headed woman said despite the fear gripping her heart.

"tsk-tsk-tsk," ticking his tongue behind his teeth, "For someone whose life is on the precipice of mortality, you can't just shut up." he shook his head, "You tricked him and my Belle Zelena, you killed my boy." he said and this time there was no grin, no humor, no Rumple tricks just anger.

"You can't kill me with your dagger!"

Now the grin re appeared, "Oh dearie I can, I just promised my Belle I won't use it against you and I do keep my promises." He said before he swiftly pushed his hand towards the tall woman's chest and pulled her heart. Emma and David were both watching as the woman was let go and was now kneeling before the pawnshop owner.

"Please... don't kill me... I..."

"I what dearie?"

"I... Regina wished for me to live! You have to honor that!"

"What in my speech did you not get? I am not indebted to her to cater to her request! Besides, you didn't spare my boy didn't you?"

"I'm sorry!"

"And you don't even mean it," he said looking at the very black heart in his hand.

"Please Gold, don't do this, we will do a trial and we will decide her fate." David once again said trying to get to the man's good side which he knew was there, just covered with so much hate.

"What would you decide to do to her? The harshest punishment is death by fire isn't it?"

"We really don't have..."

"Give me that heart! I'm squashing that myself!" Emma shouted trying to move her arms towards the smaller man.

"Really Miss Swan?" he turned his head to look at her, "but your father was right, if I let you do this, then there's no turning back for you." he said and smiled, "While I on the other hand," he squeezed tighter than usual and watch as the woman on his knees claw on her left chest.

"n-n-nooo, p-p-p-please..."

Emma Swan was sure she could see through this but then every time she look, the face of Regina as Zelena squeezed the life out of her comes forth to her memory, replacing Zelena's face with that of the woman she love, and Gold with that of the woman now writhing in pain. She shook her head, _no... I can't look at this... oh God, Regina..._

David Nolan closed his eyes as well. He too could envision the sight of Regina's form crumpling on the ground in pain, the seizure that racked her body as this woman slowly kills her... He knew of what happened to Daniel, Snow had told him, she said Regina's mother did the same thing to the man the woman loved, and he thought Regina was petty. Now it has been done to the woman who had tried to kill him and his wife several times, the woman who had changed and become a good mother to his grandson and now, the woman to whom his daughter had fallen in love with, right before all their eyes... The gravity of what the scene had left was so enormous that now he understood why was there so much hate in _her_.

What more, in this situation, the woman who had killed the ex-Queen was no one they could give a damn, but for Regina, her beloved mother was the culprit, one Regina cannot get revenge of and one whose love the raven haired woman wanted so much. Now he understand what drove Regina to become the Evil Queen that had cast them off to this new world.

They have no idea how long they kept their eyes closed, but it had been long they thought and now the eerie silence was all they could hear. When they opened their eyes, they found only Zelena's dead body in the cell, Rumple out of sight.

And they can move again.

-0-

[Three days prior]

Emma was sitting on a bench facing the calm sea of Maine. Everyday since Regina's death, she and her son Henry would sit here silently as they try to reminisce the memories of them with the other woman. Mostly the good ones, but there will be time that there were bad, and it was the young lad that had been affected more of those kind of memories.

_Another day of emptiness for mother and son as they stroll along the sand of the seaside heading to their favorite bench. Once there, the two sat without word and looked at the sea and beyond. They eyed each other once or twice as memories of Regina floods their brain. A smile here, some tears there... then suddenly, Henry started sobbing hard._

"_Henry?" Emma put an arm around the lad's shoulder, "Shhh,"_

"_I wish I could turn back time Ma!" he said in between sobs, tears freely flowing almost drenching the collar of his shirt._

"_I do too kid, I do too."_

"_I was horrible!" He said after a few seconds of silence._

_Emma straightened her back and faced her son completely, "Oh Henry you're not! Don't say t-"_

"_Yes I am!" He took a deep breath to control his crying and almost succeeded._

"_Why do you say that?"_

"_I pushed her away, I say so many horrible things to her despite all the good things she'd done to me. I didn't gave her a chance and I hurt her Ma. And then... and then...," he sniffed, "and then when I finally accepted her, she sent us away and gave us good life, and now she's dead! I wished I didn't do that! I wished I didn't get that damn book! I wish I didn't see that adoption papers! I wish – I wish..."_

"_Henry," Emma enfolded the crying boy in her arms and Henry returned the hug tighter than usual as he resumed crying. "Shhh, it's alright Henry, it's alright."_

"_No it's not, we are not alright." his words were muffled by his face buried in his mother's neck. "I will take back everything I said to her Ma if only the time goes back." he said pushing lightly from his mother._

"_Yes, you're right now we are not, but we will be."_

Her musing was interrupted by the sudden presence of someone beside her. Since Henry is currently with her parents who decided to take the boy out for him to at least forget the burden he has put on his shoulder, even just for a bit, then someone had the guts to interrupt her time. If this is Killian, she is going to punch his face over and over until he gets the meaning of "leave me alone" in his hard head, but when she looked beside her, she found Mr. Gold sitting, his cane propped on the edge of the bench instead of the insufferable pirate. "Mr. Gold," she greeted accompanied by a nod before she returned her focus on the darkening sky above the calm sea.

"Henry and your parents visited me at my shop." He started.

"That's nice of them." She said without facing the man beside her. "Why are you here? I don't picture you to be reminiscing Regina in your head, as far as I am concerned you two are..."

"Were Miss Swan. I am not here to reminisce though Miss Swan." He also started changing his focus to the vast sea. "I did tell her over and over, there is no happy ending for us villains, but well, she is a stubborn woman."

That brought a smile to the blonde woman's face, sad but still, it was a smile.

"Did you know how Regina came about to have magic?"

"Cora taught her?"

"No," Mr. Gold said smiling. "Cora is quite selfish with magic dear, she'd rather kill her daughter than teach her the magic."

"So you?" Emma asked and this time she looked at the old pawnshop owner.

"Well yes," He looked at the woman beside her as well, "She was born with magic not because of Cora dearie, but because of me."

"What?" the wide eyes of the sheriff told Gold that she was thinking wrong.

"Oh don't misunderstand me Miss Swan, I didn't sire Regina. Sir Henry was her father through and through."

Emma deflated, "So what do you mean?"

"Cora has no magic when we met, but she was a stubborn woman like her daughter, and she's a little bit on the angry side, so she needs to spun gold from straws, etcetera and you know that story."

"Cora was the Miller's daughter?" She was surprised.

"Oh she is dearie," he smiled and then returned his focus on the sea. "You do know that I don't help people, I make deals so..."

"You want Regina?"

"I collected her after her birth, Cora had not once look at her baby girl while I took her away, but then there was a problem in that action."

"You cannot breastfeed the baby," Emma smiled this time it reached her eyes.

"How crass Miss Swan, but yes."

"So you hire nannies?"

"Just one,"

"Who?"

"Well you know her very much dearie. Anyway, this is not why I come here for, so will you let me finish my story sheriff, or would you want me to stop and leave?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders and once again looked at the sea, "So? go on..."

"Anyway, after that problem solved, I had Regina for three years and another problem arose. I started getting attached to the damn child and it was not good."

"Because then you wouldn't be able to stomach making her your pawn to find your son."

"She was such a nice child, so pure... " He smiled at the recollection, "So I have to get rid of her and make her the evil queen to enact my curse. Everyone knows about that story by now." he looked at the woman who nodded her head, "I returned her to her mother, but you see... there was no maternal love left,"

"Cora has no heart, so no matter..."

"Absolutely not dearie," He chuckled, "Didn't you see Regina? She felt for Henry and broke the second curse without a heart, so imagine her capability to love if she could do that without hers."

Emma frowned, "So she can still feel?"

"Oh yes, not much dearie but, there must be an established connection. And for Cora and Regina, that connection had never been made because the moment she comes out of Cora, I tore the child away from her and that magical bond of two souls never happened. Plus as modern science had proven, nursing babies is one way to build that connection, the strongest way as a matter of fact, isn't it?" Another nod from the young savior.

"So when you returned her to Cora..."

"She became cold. She became the woman we all now know."

Silence

"Why are you telling me this?"

There was no answer, and Emma thought he just wouldn't until she heard, "Because I want to help you get her back."

-0-

The time portal started glowing, fiery yellow at first then the red of the fire started. Emma waited outside of the circle to make a jump for it.

"Emma you are insane!" Hook shouted over the sound of magic around them.

"Yes I am so get the hell out of here!"

"You may not be able to get back! How about Henry!" he shouted again, "Don't abandon the boy over something stupid!"

Emma looked at the pirate angrily, "This isn't stupid Hook! And I'm not abandoning my son! I'm getting our happy ending back!"

"That damn portal will close once you get in! How the hell will you be able to go back!"

"I WILL!" Emma reply for the last time in a shout as the portal opened large enough for her to jump. But before she did, she took an old style danglish watch on her pocket and looked and then she took two daggers from her boots pockets and hurled it at the pirate, catching the leather jacket and sticking the man to the wall.

"EMMA!"

Then she jumped.

-End Chapter 1-

Well when I was in the episode when Cora met Rumple to span gold from straw, I really thought Rumple fathered Regina... they did roll in the hay (figuratively speaking).


	3. Chapter 3

**Second Chances**

_Chapter 2_

[Three days prior]

"Why are you telling me this?"

There was no answer, and Emma thought he just wouldn't until she heard, "Because I want to help you get her back."

The blonde looked at Mr. Gold in shock, "What? You... you..."

The grin again, "Yes, we could get Regina back," The old man looked at the hopeful and the sudden eruption of happy smile on the Savior's face."Don't get excited sheriff, it is a hard task,"

"I don't care how hard, if it could resurrect Regina then I will do it!"

Then there was a laugh, "You are mistaking me for the creator this world knows sheriff Swan, I told you we'll get her back, not resurrect her."

"What?"

"As I've said, it is a hard task." There was no answer from the blonde. "The silence means you want me to continue then?" a nod from the woman, "Very well, my proposition to you is we get Regina back from the Enchanted Forrest."

Emma's attention was tweaked more, "You mean she didn't really died but instead she was transported to your real world..."

"No, she is dead here and there is no Regina doppelganger in the Enchanted Forrest at this moment."

"So what? I'll time travel to before she became the evil queen and abduct her back here at Storybrook?"

"Ah-ah," he shook his head, "No dearie, we can't have that."

"What the fuck... why?"

Mr. Gold took a deep breath before answering, "We only have one ride going to Enchanted forest. Remember dearie, when my father, Peter Pan released the second curse, Regina used her magic and reversed the curse so that all portal would be sealed and the only way to get back here is through another dark curse?" Emma nodded her head in agreement, she did remember. "So we only have one way to get back to Enchanted forest and at the same time go back in time."

Emma understood what he was talking about, "The time portal Zelena made,"

"Yes, you see dearie, that portal she made didn't left Storybrook. It was just deactivated when I took the necklace from Zelena's neck and seal it."

"So what? We just have to unseal it and then the portal opens again?"

"We? Oh no, _YOU_ need to unseal it to open the portal, and that portal will close as soon as something or someone gets through it. That's how all time portal works... in the legend of course."

The sheriffs eyes widened, "What the... so If I go through there how the hell am I going back?"

"That's the hard part, we have to time your activation and your jump so that you will be taken to the desired time. The place will be constant, Zelena had already programmed that one."

"So when is the desired time?"

"A day before Regina enacts the dark curse..."

-0-

[Present for Emma, past for Enchanted Forrest]

Emma groaned as she tried to sit. She shook her head and re-oriented herself and when she finally got the dizzy spell out of her system, she stood and looked around, indeed, she found herself surrounded by trees... she smiled, she's in the woods, the question is, is this the woods in her town or the original one? She was answered by the sound of horses coming, from the sound, it's probably too numerous to count.

So she needs to hide and see where she landed in the Enchanted forest, well, no one uses horses for transportation in Storybrook anymore, duh, so that should clue her in that she is indeed in the right time, but is she in the right place? Well she should be near the dark castle and not Snow's or else, she may not be able to get to the Evil Queen in time.

Well she'll have to figure that out, she needs to hide. So she did, and there's no safer place to hide than be at the top of these trees. She just hope her tree climbing skill hasn't rusted already. As it turned out, she was still good despite her perchance for clumsiness... come to think of it, she remember being so clumsy just in front of Regina, who would have thought?

Armed with the cloaking spell Rumple or Gold gave her - along with other spells which he deemed needed - she mutters it and hoped she did it right to work, because right now, she heard the horses stopped including a carriage. _Damn, is it really this quiet here that she could hear the door of the carriage close? What the fuck... that means it opened and someone went out! Oh god please let it not be Snow! Not Snow-not Snow-not Snow... how freaky would that be if I met her with me still inside her? Ewww!_

-0-

Her dark brows creased when she suddenly sensed something magical and powerful near. _Rumplestiltskin? That can't be right, he is still imprisoned in that hell hole Snow calls prison._ She rolled her eyes at the mental image of the wretched princess turned Queen calling a dungeon a prison. A dungeon is a dungeon, no matter how you call it, it will still look the same, smell the same. So if he is still imprisoned in that magical cell, therefore, who is it that activated that large amount of energy and inside her part of the Kingdom?

"Ride faster!" she shouted after she called a rider to the side of her carriage.

"Yes Your Majesty," he said bowing his head before riding to the front. And they moved faster than before. As she felt the power decrease its strength fast, she orders everyone to move faster, they did and by the time they get to the part of the forest, she could only feel a residual of that she had felt... but still, it is there.

"Stop!" she shouted and they slowed down before coming in full stop. One of the horse rider went down and opened her door, then she stepped out brushing the helping hand offered brashly. "Scatter around, I want this perimeter guarded. Anyone who comes that is not known to any of you, kill it."

"Yes Your Majesty!" her soldiers replied before scattering around, except for one.

She looked him up and then raised one perfect brow, "And you? Why aren't you moving?"

She could see the soldier visibly gulped, "I was ordered by Captain Santimonious to guard you Your Majesty!" he said with a little squeak.

"So you chose to obey your captain's order and defy mine?" she asked in her cold, scary and sensual voice that accompanies the brow that had raised even more so.

"Y-your Majesty..." The soldier didn't get to finish since his Majesty's hand swiftly penetrated his left chest and he could feel her hand surrounding his heart. "M-Majesty..."

Regina narrowed her eyes as she slowly squeeze the heart inside his chest. Well, there's no need to get messy if she was just teaching these imbeciles a lesson. A little more squeeze just so he could feel his life being slowly squeezed out of him and then she stopped and pulled out. The soldier had fallen to his knees before her panting, one hand clutching his chest. "Remember how it felt right now soldier, because the next time you choose to obey your captain over me, you'll feel greater pain than that."

"Y-Yes- Yes your Majesty..." He gasped.

"Now leave me!" she growled and with shaky limbs, he ran off to anywhere as far as here was. Regina turned around and started walking a path to the inner sanctum of the forest. She was sure the power she felt a moment ago originates here, so she walked slowly, looking around, bristling and then she smiled...

_Oh yes, I could feel the residual here... hmm, a cloaking spell?_

Her brows creases once again. She knew she now has the most powerful cloaking spell here and could only be bested by Rumple but as she had just visited the imp earlier at the dungeon, this cloaking spell couldn't be his unless _he escaped... but even if he can he wouldn't! He wants this curse to be enacted. _But the cloaking spell is to good, that even if she feels it, she can't pinpoint out the location of the user. _Then again, if it was Rumple, he doesn't need to use cloaking spell around me, unless he is spying on me?_

-0-

"Gods..." Emma swore, if she hadn't hold on to the branch near her, she would have fallen. She knew she was in the right place now, but the reason how she knew it? She didn't expected, one month and a day of missing this woman, one month and a day of grief seeing her die, holding her in her arms before her last breath, and here she was, looking at the same woman she had fallen for, "Regina," she whispered.

-0-

_Regina..._

It was so soft, so light but she heard it. "Who is it?!" She asked in a booming voice and turned around to see any attacker coming, but there was none. The cloaking spell still around. "Show yourself!" she said and lighted both her palms with fire balls the size of a Troll's hand in a fist. "I said show yourself or suffer my wrath!" she hollered, and when still no one came, she threw fireball after fireballs around her before she disappear in a cloud of purple smoke.

-0-

"That's my Regina," Emma whispered as she watched the woman in action. Even in extreme anger, she can't help but find that beautiful heart she had seen in Storybrook. Regina here maybe called EVIL but she know the truth. She was just as hurt as her and if finding her here is her second chance she was looking for, then she knew that this Regina, still _her_ Regina would want her second chance as well.

And that second chance cannot be here.

-0-

[Three days prior]

"Why just now? You disappeared you know." The sheriff asked to just quell her curiosity.

"It's not as if I have all this knowledge in hand Sheriff Swan." he said smiling. There was a momentary pause and then he heard the almost whispered question of "why" from his bench neighbor. "I think I've already answered that -"

"No I mean," Emma sighed, "Why help me? And what do you want in return for this?"

"Oh," Another deep breath before he answered, he was prepared, he knew she's going to as this. "This isn't a deal Sheriff, as I've said I wanted to help."

"You said in your story and I know it to be true, you don't help people, you do deals. So what change?"

Silence

"I hate owing someone," he said, "That's the first reason. I owe you and Regina my freedom from Zelena and I hate the feeling."

Here Emma grinned, "You know you don't have to owe us that, because really freeing you would be beneficial for us as it was for you, so can it Gold, I know why you're doing it."

The grin on the man's face dropped. "Care to enlighten me then dearie as to why I am helping you?"

The grin on the Sheriff's face though widened, "Because no matter how you deny this, you and I both know that no matter how long it had been, you see Regina as that little toddler you get attached to, and that despite your bravado and hating of Regina, you still feel the pain of making her your pawn in this stage you made, and that everyone had hated her for all the sins you had committed against her." Emma watched the man's face, there was no change in his expression, but the silence and that glassy look in his eyes just told her that she nailed that one on the head.

"The second reason..." and then he evaded the topic. _You are the best Swan._ she congratulated herself, but kept her comments. "... is that I'm doing this for Henry. He is my grandson, Bae loves him and his happiness is now one of my responsibility." Rumple sighed, "Yes I disappeared but not entirely out of here... I need to do research at the library about the time portal and how to use it for this kind of mission, as Henry so called it."

"So how do we know when is the right time for me to make _the_ jump into the portal?"

Gold's grin returned, "That we have to discuss at my shop tomorrow, it's getting cold and the cold is not good for my aching leg."

"When am I making my jump?"

"In three days Sheriff Swan," he said as he stood, "I'll see you at my shop tomorrow, good day." he said bowing his head which was returned by Emma and then he turned and left. Green eyes tracked the moving man and was not surprise that he disappeared out of thin air in his own purple smoke.

-End Chapter 2-

length of each chapters varies. It is now past midnight my time and my vision is duplicating so I have to stop here. I may not be able to update this tomorrow with multiple chapters since I have a very important thing to work on. I'm sure anyone would have guessed by now what I'm trying to do here? If yes... no spoilers! LOL.


	4. Chapter 4

I apologize for some inconsistencies between the first and second chapter, in my head I thought Gold calls Emma Miss Swan, but then I think he calls her more as Sheriff Swan and everyone 'dearie' instead of the former. I changed it to Sheriff Swan on the second chap and will be using that for the rest of their conversations.

**Second Chances**

_Chapter 3_

[Present, Enchanted Forest]

"Graham," The raven haired Queen called out and the heartless huntsman stepped close to the throne, beside Regina,

"Your Majesty?" he asked in his usual indifferent voice.

"Have all the people I told you accounted for?" she asked and nod her head when the huntsman nodded in the affirmative. "Akisha," she summoned an elderly woman, hunched, white hair, with eyes opaque white, that despite her obvious blindness was able to correctly stood on the other side of the throne where the evil queen sat.

"Your majesty?"

"Is it done?" One dark brow rise,

"Yes your Majesty, all is in according to how you want it, except for the setting your majesty,"

"Oh," she flicked stray hairs from her face and smiled, "The place is of no importance, the curse will take care of it." she frowned, "And the children?"

"What about the children?" she asked not afraid that she sounded a little bit disrespectful.

The queen glared at the old woman, "I think I made it clear that no children will be left without parents?"

The old woman smiled, "I did your majesty..." _ooppps!_

"If it is ready, I want all of you..." she said looking each villains in her throne room with a glare that could fell any of them, "...back at nightfall, we will all share in this glorious moment." with that, she stood and stepped down from her throne and briskly left the room.

-0-

She has no idea if her luck was innate or if Mr. Gold has something to do with it. She wasn't using the cloaking spell as per instruction –

"_Remember sheriff, once you get inside the dark castle, you cannot use the cloaking spell, unless you want to get caught. Unlike the forest, there's too little place for you to hide in there, especially if you want to be close to Regina in her most sensitive moment."_

And she knew the fact that stealth isn't really her cup of coffee. When she was a bail bonds woman, she never used stealth to apprehend bail jumpers, that's not what she was good at. She used her looks – well, now that she'd learn who her parents were, there was no denying that she had _the_ look, her mother is the fairest of them all for crying out loud! – stamina, strength and most importantly, street smarts to outwit jumpers all the time. _Regina was much stealthier, and damn it, she's always wearing those stiletto shoes!_ So now that she had passed every guards available, she can't think of anything else but.

She is now at the throne room and her eyes twinkled when she saw the large wooden door ajar, _If this isn't luck then what the hell is this?_ she asked herself, she bit her lower lip as she tried to pass through the space in-between two doors as inconspicuously as possible. She hold her breath and kept her back flat on the wall as she glides inside. Moments later, she find herself behind a thick black curtain, and she could clearly hear the conversation. _Her_ Regina was being her queenie self, she's even using that mayoral tone she was so used to hearing and that elicits memories she should not be having at the moment. _Wrong time, wrong place!_ She told herself as she forcefully shut the painful memories and focused her ears on the conversation going –

"_Yes your Majesty, all is in according to how you want it, except for the setting your majesty,"_ What she wanted? Huh, what were they talking about anyway? _"Oh... the place is of no importance, the curse will take care of it." _Oh the curse... which means she didn't chose Storybrooke? _"And the children?"_

"_What about the children?" _Whoa, you just voiced my question, goodie... _"I think I made it clear that no children will be left without parents?"_ Really? She doesn't want any orphan in Storybrooke? But... _"I did your majesty..." _That's a lie! What could have been the punishment for liars, I wonder? _"If it is ready, I want all of you back by nightfall, we will all share in this glorious moment." _What the hell!

Emma took the watch from her pocket and looked, _damn it Gold, it hasn't been 24 hours! And the fuck – you said Regina will be casting it alone! How the heck did this happen?!_ And then she heard the click clack of Regina's steps. _Damn, even those sounds hurts, damn!_ The next thing she heard were the sounds of people grumbling and walking out of the room.

"You think this curse will work?" she heard a woman asked not so softly,

"Well it's the evil queen's, everything will work!" _Ohhhh, a fan there?_

"Think everything you want, I won't be in this cursed world and I got my revenge!" The woman who Emma knew was the one who was tasked to write the story behind the curse said. _Revenge? But... is the breaking of the curse was her revenge?_ She shook her head, _Rumple integrated that breaking in the curse, so it's not..._

"They are children! Just because they eat your _house_ and get away with it means they warrant that kind of cruelty." Another woman said angrily.

"Says the woman who is keeping a secret baby up a tower!" _Ohh, and Nicholas and Ava's predicament weren't even Regina's fault. Damn, there really are so many things I don't know about her and her curse. _She secretly chuckle, _and that other woman must be the one who's keeping Rapunzel, I can't believe I'm really living this fairy tale world._ _But hell, this beats waiting for nightfall doing nothing._

-0-

[Two days prior]

The Sheriff get off the cruiser that was now parked in front of Mr. Gold's pawnshop. She went in without knocking to find Belle cleaning the trinkets in the store as if everything were so dusty, when in fact, with the way Belle cleans the store every time, dust has no time to accumulate. Even the library was sparkly clean! And there's only one other place she knows that is as sparkly clean as them...

The Mansion.

Which brought her once again to the painful memories of a love lost and hoping to find... but to get the Evil Queen? She must be really insane! "Hi Belle," she greeted and pushed the thought of Regina behind. she could see the sincere sadness in the brunette's eyes. The woman had been her more than a year ago, imagine how all these villains doing the right thing on the wrong time. Her Rumple then, my Regina now.

"Hi Emma, Rumple will be out soon, he told me about you coming here." she smiled before pointing a ready chair in a corner. There was also a table in front of the chair and another chair behind it, which means this will be a long discussion for Mr. Gold to actually set up something like this.

"Thank you," she said before turning to sit on the offered comfort.

"I will be leaving you two to talk, I do need to get to the library." Her accent always puts a smile on everyone she talks too. She never really met Lacey, but she thinks _that_ woman is just really hidden under.

"I know..." Emma's smile was sad, it was like saying 'you are not interested to hear us getting Regina back, I understand'. "Hey," Belle interrupted the thoughts running in the blonde's head, "I don't mean it like that..."

Emma looked at her brows furrow, "Like what?" _Belle isn't a mind reader is she?_

"I may not be a mind reader Emma, but from your eyes I could say what you're thinking. It is important for you to get her back and I am not against it nor I care free about it. I did lose Rumple and I knew no one but me and Bae wanted him back. I was in your shoes before. I just really need to be in the library to clean and arrange the books."_You're not a mind reader huh? You think?_

"Thank you Belle, it's just so hard, despite everyone saying what a horrible thing happened, despite _her_ saving us, it seems no one wanted her back but me and Henry."

"I am sure Sheriff that despite the nonchalance your mother shows, she would want Regina back." Both women wasn't startled at the appearance of the old man. They both looked from the adjacent door separating the store room from his work space. "Good morning Sheriff, you are late."

Emma frowned, "We didn't talked about what time I should arrive."

Mr. Gold smiled, "You are right once again Sheriff," she passed by Belle but not without giving the woman a kiss on one cheek first. Once he sat on the chair behind the table, Belle excused herself, nodded at the blonde woman and wordlessly left.

A few silent moment passed before, "Maybe you're right Mr. Gold, but not _this_ Regina." she sighed, "I wanted her back so bad, but taking the EVIL QUEEN as in the literal evil queen back makes me doubt."

The old man looked the Sheriff hard for a few minutes before talking, "Do you really want to see Regina again? Finally have your chance with her and second chance for Henry?" A slight nod came as a reply, "Because I tell you now Sheriff, if you are in doubt then we are wasting our time. We only have one shot at this and if you fail, then..." he raised both hands from the table and put all his fingers together making a circle from his hands, "You see this?" he said pertaining to the one he created, "This is Regina, if you fail? BOOM!" he said separating his hands as if there was an explosion.

A frown on the blonde woman's face, "Is this some kind of experiment?"

A quizzical look awash the dark one's face, "Experiment dearie?"

"Yes experiment! I go there first to check if it will work and if it does, you do it to go back and get your son back." she crossed her arms over her chest and lean her back on her chair.

He smile sadly, "I've thought of that," he began, "it was part of my research, and if It could, I would have done it myself without experimenting since as I've said, this is one chance... ONE chance Sheriff. When that portal is used, it will be gone.

"So why can't you?"

"Zelena had limited the time of the portal where it would bring her, a precautionary measure to make sure she won't be brought to a time she doesn't want. That time was before Regina's birth, before meeting me perhaps, all the time after that could be reached but not before. Bae was already gone from Enchanted Forest way way back before the time of Regina's or Zelena's birth." he rested one hand on his cane again, "And the place of the portal was locked on Enchanted Forest."

"Thank you, but..."

"But what dearie?"

"Why the evil Regina? I mean okay she is my only means to ferry me back here, but... what will happen to us? To everyone else?"

"You didn't listen to my story yesterday dearie?"

"I did!"

"Then you know that she is capable of changing, her problem in our world and in our time were _me_ and that no one believes."

Silence

"And here she still has you..."

"But the 'non-manipulating of her me' Sheriff, don't forget that. We are already pass on the manipulation thing by now." he said making a quote-unquote sign in the air.

"Okay, she has the non manipulative you and someone believes..."

"And Snow's forgiveness." Added the man. He watched the woman in front of her in deep thinking, "So if you have doubt about Regina's capability to change, then maybe we should just forget about this. You are wasting my time." He said leaning heavily on his cane and was about to stand...

"No, let us do this! I believe her Gold, I do." the reply put a genuine smile on the old man's face.

"Alright, for starters, let us talk about spells..."

"What? I am not magicking anyone there!"

"Shh Sheriff, let us pretend that you are going to a war, how do you expect to get out of there alive without weapons?"

Emma eyed him suspiciously, and then she nodded, "Alright...but..." she watched Gold's one brow raise, "But if I sense something funny, I'm going to..."

"...but what dearie?" he sneered.

"Just..., let's do this!"

-0-

Nightfall came and Emma Swan was still crumpled on the ground of the throne room, sleeping behind the thick curtain. The sound of hurried steps, with distinct clanking of metals awoke the woman with a jerk, causing the back of her head to lightly hit the wall at her back, "Ow," she said not quite a whisper.

"Who is there?!" she heard as one of probably soldiers stopped and looked around. Emma bit her tongue and held her breath, waiting for the soldier to proceed.

"Lance! Will you just continue marching, if we don't get to the woods fast, the Queen will be mad!"

"Someone is here!"

"No one is here Lance, you just have a wild imagination! It's not as if there are wraiths inside the Queen's castle to get you!"

"But I hear someone..."

"Just get!" and just like that, Emma breathe out. _Save by luck, once again._

She waited until she was sure that no one was in her vicinity before she went out of her hiding place. In one of the 'weapons' that Mr. Gold gave her, she take out a small bottle with yellowish dust. She spread it on the ground and she smiled when she saw foot prints to many to count, but the direction they all went to were the same. _It really works_!

"_Sheriff," he said pushing a small vial on the blonde woman's hand, "This is a tracking dust. Unlike tracking spells that reveals the foot prints of the person or people you were tracking, this..." he said lifting the vial off the woman's hand, "this will work like a dye and show you foot prints, humans and inhuman. And unlike the spell counterpart, this is not traceable."_

_Thank you Mr. Gold!_

-0-

Emma was on her knees, she was thankful enough that the woods behind the castle was dark enough to hide her. Boulders of rock characterize the ground she was stepping in, and her dark hood, care of Mr. Gold hides her yellow locks that would give her away as they shine under the light of the moon. Just a little above where she was taking a breather was a plateau, and she could hear the echo of Regina's voice as she made her winning speech. Looking around, she saw no soldiers unlike before she crashed the gate. _I wonder if this was the wood Disney portrayed in beauty and the beast?_

A few more breath and she began her careful trek again. The sheriff was sure by the time she finished this mission, she'd be better in her stealth skill when she gets back to Storybrooke, _and I get a chance with __**her**_.

Just behind a large truncated tree, she knelt. She was directly behind Regina who had threw a large, brownish, hardbound book on a burning hollowed altar. She leaned sideward and rested an elbow on a black rock to see more, and get a glimpse of the woman's face. But she frowned when the rock she leaned on wasn't like the rocks she had felt earlier, this was smooth and warm... _a warm rock?_ She looked beside her to see a dead, black horse.

She almost screamed if not for her hand covering her open buccal cavity. She took breaths to calm her heart and when she did, she returned her focus on Regina. She need to time this, she got so small a time to do two major things and now there are VILLAINS who she have to fight with as well, _damn Gold, this is messed up!_ So she watched as Regina threw dust on the same altar producing smoke, but not the purple and black smoke Mr. Gold warned him. So she waited again. And then an old man, probably Regina's butler handed her a black box. She saw her open it and almost throw up when she saw the inhuman heart inside. She ducked behind the tree and turned her face away, she can't look.

And then she found herself looking at purple and black smoke, _it's time..._

-End Chapter 3-


	5. Chapter 5

**Second Chances**

_Chapter 4_

[Two days prior]

"So how can I 'time' my jump? I mean, how do I know that I will be jumping exactly 24 hours before Regina cast the dark curse?" forest green eyes locked with the dark one's. she watched as the pawnshop owner stood and went in front of a cabinet at his back. In one of the many draws below the small trinket flat form, he took out an old watch in chain and then he returned to his seat.

"This Sheriff is an enchanted watch," he said handing the clock to the woman in front, "This tells the time from the Enchanted Forest, not ours, this is currently deactivated." he raised a finger and points to small button at the top of the watch, "Press that before you jump and it will show you the time, at the same time, you have to wait for the power on the circle to enlarge to a certain size."

"How?"

Mr. Gold grinned, he took out a bond paper and pen and start drawing. Emma looked at what he was making and found out, he was making an exact replica of the time portal Zelena had created at the barn. "Now you see this circle Sheriff?" he asked and watched the woman nod her head. "The circle I made are with certain size, so if you draw a circle from the outside to the inside, it will show you exactly four rings." another nod from the sheriff, "Now, you have to put this..." he said taking something from his pocket and Emma's eyes widened.

"That's Zelena's necklace,"

"Yes, as we've talked yesterday, you need to unseal this for the circle to work. Zelena's entire power is in this gem, and this could open the portal up to her desired time, but we don't need to be in that time, so..." he returned his focus on the drawing he made, "...once activated, the portal will start opening from the center. You saw the portal open in the barn while we all are there didn't you?" another nod of blonde head. "Good, so you at least know what to look for, besides, it is hard to miss."

"Don't I know that," She said while still focuse on the drawing, memorizing it.

"Now, once the beam of light comes to this part..." he pointed on the spot in between the second and third ring, "...you will jump."

Mr. Gold looked at Emma as he straightened up, seeming through with his explanation, "Oh, so all I have to do is draw circles on that one - "

"No,"

Emma looked at Mr. Gold surprised, "No? But you did..."

"This is only in paper Sheriff, the actual circle cannot be changed or it will not work. You have to memorize this diagram and make invisible circles over the one _she_ did in your mind. DO NOT – I warn you Sheriff, do not disturb the ring by drawing these on it."

Emma sighed, "I get it,"

"Did you really dearie?"

She frowned, "I said I did!"

"Good," he stood, "Now I am tired, its getting dark, you go home, rest, practice tomorrow and see me when you have gotten the mayor back."

"Wha-"

"Good day Sheriff Swan." He said before turning and slowly exiting his store through his back work space entrance.

-0-

[Present, Enchanted Forest]

_It's time..._

Emma slowly stood and got ready to pounce on the unsuspecting queen, she opened the belt bag she has on her waist and was about to take the first vial that contained an orangey material inside, spell to activate it clearly written on a piece of bond paper taped around the vial, but before she could proceed, she saw the purple smoke dying...

_What the fuck... the curse failed? The fuck! The Fuck! How the heck did this happen! THE FUCK!_

She stopped cursing when she heard the Queen scream in frustration, and then she zapped a dwarf or err... _was that a gnome?_ into cold stone figure. _I think I recognize that... I knew I've seen that guy before..._ she thought and then it hits her, _It's the darn gnome on her garden! That Regina... jeez... she didn't crushed it? Oh wow..._

_Enough musing Swan_ she thought when she found herself alone. "What the hell happened?" she asked no one but air. "Regina failed to enact the curse, so how the hell did she get all of them into Storybrooke?"

Well still there was no answer.

-0-

[Jumping Day]

"Ma," Henry went inside Emma's room. The mother and child were now the sole occupant of the apartment that used to be Snow White's. David and Mary Margaret had moved into the house her father used to share with Kathryn or now known as Abigail. Abigail on the other hand had moved out of Storybrooke to pursue law in Boston. Once a month she would return to Storybrooke for one whole week end to catch up and she usually stays with Regina if not in the B&B. The last time the other blonde woman came, she found out of Regina's demise and was shocked. She always thought that Regina was an invincible woman. She didn't stay the week end that time and returned to Boston with a heavy heart.

"Henry?"

He smiled a genuine smile, a first since her 'mom' died. "Are you jumping tonight?"

Emma blew air and smiled, "Yes kid,"

"You are nervous aren't you?" he said as he stepped closer to her birth mother and sat beside her. He took out pieces of cut bond papers and gave it to his mother, "here,"

One light brows arched, "What is that?"

"Oh this?" he grinned, "I wrote the spells for each bottle Mr. Gold gave you, just to make sure you won't forget."

"Hey!" she said bumping shoulders with her ever growing son. "I'm not that old,"

"I know ma, but... I watch you try to memorize remember and well..."

She frowned, "What are you implying?" her voice was low and dangerous.

Another grin, "Just get _her_ back ma,"

Silence

"You realize if I succeed, I will be bringing back the woman you truly hate? The Evil Queen?"

He nodded and smiled, "I don't hate the Evil Queen ma, I realized now that _she_ and mom are one and the same. I know now that she wasn't really evil, just misguided and unloved." He bit his lower lip to keep his self from crying. He was pulled by her mother into a hug, "No one loves her back there ma, but here, she has someone who does, someone who believes in her."

"You know this is going to be hard work, especially for both of us,"

"I know, but I'll do everything right this time and no matter how hard, I will never give up on her ever again."

The sheriff smiled, tears trying to escape her eyes, "I know kid, and I promise to do the same and even more..." he said kissing her son's head before they pull away from each other. "So will you put those cheats on the bottles?"

Henry smiled, "Sure!"

-0-

[Present, Enchanted Forest]

Emma had waited. She knows that Storybrooke existed, the curse worked and that means Regina will be back here to try again. She took the vial she was to pour on the altar and frowned.

"_Remember Sheriff, you cannot throw this on the altar without saying the spell and if the curse has not been activated yet, or this will be a total waste._

"_What does this do?"_

"_This dearie is a curse that will modify the dark curse that I gave her that time."_

"_Modify?"_

"_Yes, you see dearie,the dark curse will bring the whole kingdom to Storybrooke 30 years ago with everyone's memories replaced by the memory of the story that I had Regina create. __**This**__ curse will make it so that the memories are intact, this is of course for your own benefit, and well... that would also mean the Evil Queen's memories would be as well."_

"_And so does everyone 30 years back,"_

"_No,"_

"_Huh? But..."_

"_That is why you need to recite the spell, the spell will make sure that the new curse will only affect you and Regina."_

"_But – then we will be brought to the old Storybrooke?"_

"_There's the reason why you should not let go of that watch I gave you. Once you turn the watch off, it will go back to the time of the present Storybrooke. That will guide you two here. Remember, the new curse I gave you will just hitch on the dark curse and will only affect you two, and I made sure that the curse is linked with the watch. So you better hold on to Regina tight."_

"_And if she magics me? I have no match for her!"_

"_Well you cannot put that curse in with Regina there dearie, you won't make it. So you have to use this..."_

The blonde woman replaced the vial with orange material back to the bag and took out a long needle.

"_What is this? A sleeping curse? No! I can't do that... No..."_

"_Sheriff will you calm down? This is a pin and it doesn't have a sleeping curse. It will put the Evil Queen to sleep yes, but she will wake up from it as well."_

"_How long is that sleep?"_

"_Let's say two to three days,"_

"_What?"_

Emma smiled, _well three days - that's fair enough_. Her continued musing was interrupted by a presence. She kept the pointy needle and peeked, it was Regina. She watched as the gorgeous woman in skin tight leather... _damn, why the hell don't I see her wear leathers back when! Cat woman eat that!_ ...bend over the altar and was scooping all of it's content into a large jar. _Oh god oh god... those argh! Focus Swan!_ And when she did, she noticed the jar glowing purple. _An enchanted jar?_

And she saw her walked back to the castle. _Huh? Why don't she just poof herself... jeez Swan, don't look a gift horse on the mouth!_ Knowing that _this_ Regina is much dangerous and much sensitive to motion, she made every precaution to follow the Queen without being seen. Soldiers: Tip toe; back on wall glide, soldiers again: crawl; hide, Maids: hold breath, close eyes. Until finally she was in the castle, in a dark room. Hiding behind a large pillarshe realized that most people in the castle moves out of her way and for sure, none of the common soldiers loiter the halls beside the royal guards. Peeking from her hiding place, she saw the mirror and there on the mirror was Sydney Glass' silhouette. And then the butler that came with Regina earlier. They were talking, the man was telling Regina to forget about the curse, that they could find their happy ending together. _Huh? I didn't peg Regina to be after dirty old men?_

Her eyes widened when she heard _her_ calling _him_ daddy. _That...that's Henry Mills? The father?!"_ with that realization, she now knows what will happen so she ducked back behind the pillar and waited for the right time.

And it came.

The purple smoke billowed and she saw Regina laughing before she turned from the pedestal and ordered her men to take..._ me? Take me? Not kill me?_

_So if Snow and Charming didn't put me in that tree, Regina would have taken me and raise me as hers... I wouldn't be an orphan, I wouldn't have a shitty life! I wouldn't have been set up by Neal and wouldn't have my baby in prison!_

_And there will be no Henry, and loving Regina will be incestuous, holy shit!_

And then she saw the opportunity. Sydney was dismissed. Regina was alone and weeping over her father's dead body. For now, Regina will mourn her father's death which she herself killed and then she will attack Snow's castle. Right now, she is in her most vulnerable...

"_Sheriff, you have to wait for the best time, you have to wait for when Regina was most vulnerable."_

Emma hurriedly stood, needle in hand she ran towards the grieving Queen and tenderly embraced her.

The Queen was shocked at the presence and was about to lunged, "Who..."

"It will be better Regina, I promise..." The last the Queen heard before Emma pricked the woman's finger and the Queen sagged against her. Emma then started chanting the spell and watch the orangey material glow. She then let go of Regina for a second, dropped the new curse to the dark one and hurriedly returned to the Queen's side and lovingly embraced the sleeping woman.

"Now Regina, we shall go to your happy ending." she said before she kissed the woman's temple, and then the purple and orangey cloud enfolds them. She closes her eyes, took the watch from her pocket and pushed the button once more and reset the watch.

When a soldier came running in the room, all he can do was watched his Queen disappear in the orangey-purple smoke so different from the ones inhabiting the whole kingdom.

-End Chapter 4-

Well Chapter 1-4 are almost about Emma and I hope it is understandable. The next chapters, you will of course see more of Regina. I do need to set the story neh? So I apologize to Regina fans. Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

I like to clarify something regarding Kathryn's. I made the impression that during season 3b, the only barrier preventing the people of Storybrooke from crossing the line were the numerous flying monkeys. Since The Wicked Witch was destroyed, the monkeys were returned to their previous selves making the barrier safe for crossing, hence, Kathryn pursued her dream of going to law school as mentioned in the first season.

**Second Chances**

_Chapter 5_

"MA!" Henry hurriedly jumped into her mother's embrace as soon as the blonde woman entered the home of her parents. The boy has tears in his eyes as he returned the hug and buried his face on his mother's shoulder, "You made it, you made it –" he mumbled before he looked up at his mother's smiling face, "Did you get _her?"_ he asked scared, nervous, happy and sad all at once.

The blonde sheriff looked at her son's face and then at her mother's who bore a hopeful expression on her face, tears running freely on her cheeks. And then to the tall man beside Snow White who was carrying her baby brother Neal and a knowing grin on his handsome face. "Did you?" Snow asked, voice shaky.

Emma nodded her head and a grin broke on her face, "Gods mom, she is SO beautiful! She's in this leather dress with cape, her hair was made into a high bun..." her rambling was broken by Henry's laugh that vibrates to her shoulder and the shaking of her mother's head.

"Well, she won't be the fairest in the land for nothing!" Snow said smiling.

"You are the fairest of them all," David said kissing his wife's temple.

"EW!" Mother and son both said in unison.

"Well we can't help it if your father thinks so, he will sleep on the couch if he doesn't think so." the pixy haired woman joked. "So where is she? I hope she's not wreaking havoc around as we speak?" she said with a smile that says she wasn't serious about her assumption.

The Storybrooke teacher watched her daughter, the light shining in her eyes returned, the smile was genuine and there was this lightness in her movement, compared to the last month that they lost the brunette mayor to Zelena's jealous rage. "She's sleeping, Mr. Gold made it so that we have at least 2-3 days to do something on her return."

David's face got a worried expression, "Oh yes! The town's people will be surprised, and well... we need to tell everyone of what Emma had done!" he said looking at his wife.

Everyone in the house living room eyed each other, Snow made the first move. She looked at her husband, "Why don't I get Neal so I can leave him with Ashley while you dear call for an emergency town meeting?" she said and watched her husband nod, then turned her focus on her daughter who still has Henry in embrace, "Emma honey, you can bring Henry to Regina and get Red to be with him while we spread out the word to everyone?"

"I... I need to see Gold," A creased forehead form on the Sheriff's mother, "I promised him I'll see when I get Regina back." the expression changed and then a nod was given.

"Be careful then," David this time said it. "I got a feeling Storybrooke's going to be more lively in the coming days." he grinned, "And I need to re-polish my sword."

"David!" Snow slapped his arm beside her playfully, "How selfish of you to just polish your sword, how about my arrows?"

Henry's one brow raise, "You two are weird,"

"You beat me to that Henry,"

-0-

It was the first time that Henry entered the mansion again. Before going in with Mr. Gold and his mother, he went to the backyard to look at her mom's apple tree. He smiled when he found the apple tree once again stood proudly, alive and bearing its fruit. When his mom died a month ago, the apple tree had withered as if it's life force was connected to her adoptive mother. He thought, maybe in a way it is. This apple tree was the one constant in his mother's life.

Not even _him_ made an effort to be that. But now that he has a second chance with her mom, he'll do anything to not screw it up. With a renewed hope and determination, he touched the tree's trunk, whisper a 'welcome back' and then turned to enter the house he knew so well.

-0-

Gold was just standing beside the queen size bed in Regina's mansion room. He can't help but watch the woman he had shaped to fulfill his dream and he succeeded, he got his son back but as he knew, all magic comes with a price... and that price was for him to lose Bae forever. It is a small price really to help the savior get back the woman, though this sleeping beauty he was looking right now was not the one the Savior know, but _she_ is there, very well hidden by grief, pain, suffering, sorrow, lost, anger... he probably could think of all the negative feelings in the dictionary and all of it congregates on the surface of the once Queen.

"Is she really just going to wake up on her own?" Emma asked as she returned to the room.

The old man looked at the sheriff with a leer, "Are you trying to force a true love's kiss sheriff? It seems you are too eager to do it." he was answered by a huff.

"There's going to be a town meeting, everyone should be informed of her return and of the state of that return." Emma said watching the still form just like the old man beside her.

"That is probably best." he looked at the door when it opened and in came Henry. He watched the boy gasp as he looked at his sleeping mother and then he hurriedly ran to his mother's bed, climbed, put a hand over Regina's waist and buried his head on her shoulder.

"Mom! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he mumbled.

Gold looked at the blonde beside him, "You're leaving him here with Regina?"

"I have to, I have to explain to the people how I get her back." Emma eyed the dark one who nodded his head.

"A second chance is a second chance I guess." He smiled, "You cannot leave the boy alone though, Regina is in her most powerful state, magic might be different here in Storybrooke, but it still is magic, and I doubt she'll have any problem hurting anyone when she feel threatened."

A grin on Emma's face, "Not Henry, no... not any children."

"You seem so sure sheriff,"

"I am."

-0-

The crowd were shouting, screaming at the news. Snow White and David were at the front of the Town Hall and was being quiet, waiting for the noise to die down. It might take them forever though. So the two monarchs were thankful for the arrival of their Savior for that caused the people to calm down and return to their seats.

"What the heck is going on here?" Emma asked non to please at the commotion she stepped into.

"We gave them the reason why we all are here?" David said sighing, "I was really hoping for loud gasp of shock at the news but not chaotic shouting."

"Well I really didn't think we were ruling barbarians." Snow said this purposely leaning close to the microphone which echoed on the hall and got everyone's attention. "So now you all are listening? Anymore shouting fest to come?" she asked the crowd and got no response, just silence, uncomfortable but still, an acceptable silence.

Emma looked at her mother with raised brow and mumbled for only the smaller woman to hear, "Wow, who are you?"

Snow looked up at her daughter who has an amazed expression on her face, "I'm Snow White dear, not Mary Margaret anymore, remember?" she saw the sincere smile and gratitude sketched on her daughter's face and then turned her attention back to her people. "Now," again it was said loud, clear and simple over the speaker, "If there is no other unwanted reaction on the floor, Sheriff Emma Swan will explain the whole details." she was about to give the microphone to her daughter when she stop and speak once again, "And I hope, before you make accusations, protest, think about what the woman the sheriff had brought back, the good that she done to all of us, the sacrifice..."

Emma thought she's going to cry. If she knew Snow, she probably can't believe she of all people will say such nice thing towards Regina. There were so much hurt between the two women, more than she could imagine, but something must have happened in the year they went back to Enchanted forest. And then the microphone was shove her way...

"Me and my son, we were at a lost when she died so when an opportunity came, I literally jump into it." she started with a grin and then she began telling her adventure.

-0-

"Henry?" Ruby was wearing a maroon, skin tight, leather pants, a white button up shirt, a red scarf and her usual red head band. Her friend has asked her to accompany the boy in the mansion. She really had no idea what brought Henry to mansion, not that it was absurd, since the boy lived here, but she thought with Regina dead, her ashes spread on the sea, being here would hurt the boy since it will remind him of all the memories he shared with his mom. Good and bad. "Henry?" she called again and finally arrived at the slightly ajar door of a room. She smiled and opened the door wide...

A gasp was heard, her eyes widened at what she saw...

-0-

_What... where am I? I have just succeeded, I knew it worked this time... is this where the curse brought me? Darkness? That can't be! Rumple would not be lying to me, he wanted this too!_ a scrunch of brows, _Oh daddy... I'm so sorry, I love you, I will always love you._

A heaviness in her chest. _She's breathing so she knew she is alive, but this heaviness, I'm not having a heart attack now am I? No, I'm as fit as bull! No, it can't be, I did cast the curse but Rumple got me and now he is trying to kill me? That imp!_ Ready to blow the imp when she sees him, she forced her eyes to open. Eyes still foggy, she noticed something –or someone pressing on her chest. An arm? on her waist, she could feel fingers trailing down her cheek. Focusing a little more, she found unruly brownish hair obscuring her vision, and green eyes looking at her... lovingly?

She opened her eyes wide as she looked at the boy half lying on her, and then... "Mom?" A loud gasp and her eyes widened more.

-0-

"Oh my god, REGINA!" Ruby gasped and ran towards the still lying woman. Henry was still half lying on the woman who had just woken up, "You're alive! You're alive! Oh God thank you!" she said excitedly, tears begging to fall from her watery eyes. She looked at Henry asking for silent permission and when Henry extricated his self from his mother, the were woman lunged at the woman and hugged her fiercely.

"Wha... What is the meaning of this?! Get off me you filthy..." Regina was trying to push the slim woman off her but she found this woman was stronger than she looks.

"But Regina!" Ruby whined as she pulled away a little, "You are alive..."

"Of course I am alive you little imbecile!" She spat

"Mom Language!" Henry interrupted smiling. Regina looked at her in confusion.

"What is this all about? Are you playing tricks on me?!" She screamed and sat up as soon as the slim woman get off her. She then looked at Henry, "Mom? What's that?"

"That's short term for mother Regina, are you making a joke here or something?" Ruby asked, smile wide. "We missed you so much you know. We really thought we lost you for good."

"WHAT?!" she said surprise and then her expression returned to anger. She then looked at Henry again, "As for you, I am not your mother! I am no one's mother!" she shouted and was surprised once again when instead of cowering in a corner, the boy smiled at her as if he was saying, 'don't worry, I understand', "Aren't you afraid of me boy?" a shake of dark head confirms that he's not

"Oh come on Regina, don't hurt Henry like that, what? Are you having amnesia?"

Ruby's words did not register on the angry woman when she heard her call the boy Henry. "What is your name boy?" she asked with a frown.

"Henry," at the answer, her eyes widened and she suddenly stood up on still shaky legs.

"What kind of joke are you all playing? Are you mocking me?"

"Regina..." Ruby stood up to grab the other brunette when she seemed to sway on her feet. But Regina would have none of it so she swayed a hand towards the unsuspecting woman to throw her off the wall, but nothing happened.

The taller woman looked at Regina who keeps on swaying her hand towards her, she had this bewildered expression on her face making out what the mayor was doing.

"Why isn't it working?!"

"What isn't working mom?" Henry asked with bewildered expression too.

"My magic! I am trying to throw..." her chocolate eyes turned cold and was directed at the taller woman, "What have you done to me?!" she growled.

"We didn't..."

"Please mom! We didn't do anything, we will not do anything bad to you!"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" she screamed, "I am not your mother!" she angrily spat at Henry. The boy winced and the hurt that he felt was pushed away, he knew that this isn't his mom yet, he and Emma will just show her that she doesn't have to be so angry anymore, that there are people who loved her and missed her absence.

And then Regina focused her attention on the woman, and then it clicked on her, "I think I know you..." she said, ire forgotten as something whispers in her ear, "You... you're red riding hood, the were wolf, best friend of Snow White aren't you?" Ruby nodded her head enthusiastically,

"Well, you and I aren't best friends but we are friends now too!"

Regina shook her head, "You are not my friend, wait... You remember who you are?" another enthusiastic nod of head. "That can't be... no one should remember but me, no one!" She growled, "That Akisha! I am going to destroy her as soon as I find her!"

"Oh Akisha, you mean the witch who made the bread house?" Henry asked,

"You know where she is? I will spare the life of you both if you tell me."

"She's not here in Storybrooke."

_Storybrooke? _She was rendered quiet. Calming herself, she finally noticed her surrounding, her room was out of the ordinary, large but not her kind of 'large' space. Then she look at herself, she was not in her clothes anymore. She was wearing a short black skirt which by how it accentuates her hip was an acceptable clothing. A simple red blouse that has no sleeves. When she lifted her hand to her head, she found out, her beautiful, long and wavy hair was cut short. "I need a mirror!"

Henry hurriedly leaped off the bed and get the nearest handy mirror his mother own and gave it to the disturbingly, calm woman. "You look beautiful mom," he said grinning. "This is between the two of us okay," he said and then looked at Ruby, "Okay between the three of us,"

Regina watched the boy suspiciously, _a secret? There is a secret? If this boy could give me all the secrets in this place, perhaps I should play along with his game and be his... what do they call her... mom?_ "Okay, I promise this will remain a secret." she said giving the boy one of her fake smile.

"Well, no hard feelings Rubes, I know you are best friend with Grandma, but, mom sure beats Snow in the beauty department."

_Snow... grandma?_ "Boy... I mean, Henry?" she winced as the memory of her father assaulted her, "Snow... you mean Snow White?" a nod of the boy's head, "She is your what again?"

"My grandmother!"

Here Regina's eyes widened and the anger once again flared, "NO! That damn IMP LIED to me!"

And before Ruby or Henry could stop the woman, she shove both away from her and stormed off the room.

"Oh-oh..."

-0-

The four remaining occupants of the town's hall sighed in relief. "Finally!" Grandma Luca said shaking her head. "These damn people keeps on being stuck to our past. I mean, we all have been back to Enchanted Forest and really, I will take all the curses in if I could stay here and not be back in that wretched land!" she looked at Snow and David, "No offense there your Majesties."

"None taken," David said. "Cora and then Zelena had done so much trouble in our land. I'll take a dozen Regina's over those two. Really." he said sincerely.

"Well, I was at the time before Regina cast the curse you know," Emma said, "She's got a lot of fans there." she laughed, "She got this commanding presence, no one dared to oppose her or block her way."

"She wasn't always like that child!" Granny said smiling.

"True," Snow took a deep breath, "If I hadn't met your father, I would probably say that I was in-despair."

"Huh?" Emma looked at her mother quizzically, "In despair? Care to explain that _mom_!"

Snow laughed, "Well you know Regina and my age aren't really that big a difference. I was a stupid twelve going thirteen teen when she saved me on my horse, she was seventeen. Regina was my very first crush."

"Oh don't I know it?!" Granny laughed out loud.

David frowned, "I didn't know that?"

"Well we were already on bad terms when _we_ met weren't we? I don't suppose you'll be happy to know that the woman you're falling for had a big crush on the evil queen." she shrugged her shoulders, "Besides, I was busy running for my life then."

"Wow, so my mom have a big crush on my true love huh?" Three sets of eyes turned to the sheriff, "What? I wouldn't have jumped that portal if she wasn't." She then looked at Granny, "How did you know her Granny? I mean, not like everyone, you seem to know her more."

"I do in fact... It is a long story but I'm sure I could tell you a concise –" Their chat was disrupted by a scream out side the hall that they could hear from the open window...

THE EVIL QUEEN IS BACK!

"Fuck!" Emma said rolling her eyes, "I thought we had made it clear with these people?" she asked no one.

"Well, backwards people remember?" Snow said shaking her head. "When Regina comes back to her real self, she's taking over command of these people for good. I can't for the love of my baby take their very old ways everyday!"

"Come on honey, we should rescue the people from Regina..." David said then grinning, "Or Regina from the town's people?"

"I agree with the later dad," Emma said as the four hurriedly ran out of the hall.

-0-

"Where are you?!" Regina was walking on the busy street of Storybrooke on bare feet. She could see people running away from her and she doesn't care. Everyone in this cursed place remembers and that's no thanks to Akisha who had promised her new live for these peasants. But what angers her most was the IMP backing up the damned witch and tricking her to this wretched place ripped of her magic. "RUMPLE!" she screamed. If her magic was only intact, she would probably be surrounded by her purple aura and her magic smoke, but alas, the dark one had manipulated her for nothing. Everyone is still having their happy endings and she still has none! And she killed the only person who had loved and her and followed her despite of everything, she killed her father for a new life she didn't design!

Unabated anger flow off her, if anger could formed into sweat, then she would have probably released enough to be dehydrated right this moment. And then there it is... a spinning wheel brandished in front of a glass encased window. She looked up and see the sign, "Gold's Pawnshop" and she grinned.

_Imp..._

Without batting an eye, she crossed the road, saw a small sign on the glass door that says "close", she is the evil queen though, signs does not matter to her. So with force she opened the door and entered. She was stunned in place though...

A man she recognized to be Rumplestiltskin, minus the grayish-green and scaly skin and yellow eyes, a cane in one hand, stepped to her and hugged her tight, "Welcome back Regina."

-End Chapter 5-

Ah yes, we are at the present Storybrooke now. More Regina scenes soon for sure. SwanQueen develops (again supposed to be). To all who have read the story, thank you.


	7. Chapter 7

**Second Chances**

_Chapter 6_

"_Welcome back Regina,"_ The raven haired woman's anger turned into confusion and then doubt, she forcefully pushed the man away and her chocolate eyes met that of the man.

"Rumple?" She asked unsure. The man sneered his usual and then she stiffly made that move that characterize his alter-identity.

"You are right dearie," he said in that voice the evil queen will recognize anywhere.

"You... YOU!" she charged the man but was stopped by a woman suddenly appearing before the dark one, shoving the imp backward. She saw the woman and recognition came to her, "Belle? But... you were,"

"It's a long story Regina, please, Rumple has no power right now..."

"What?" she asked bewildered, "So you didn't seal my powers here?"

Rumple his self was taken aback, "You don't have magic?"

She shook her head, "How come you don't have magic?"

"I sealed his, he gave me his dagger. I'm keeping it for him."

"What? Are you insane? How can you find your son if you don't have your power?! Rumple! You promised me that if I don't get my happy ending then no one will! What happened that everyone remembered who they were? It shouldn't be that way!"

"Calm down,"

"I can't calm down!" Regina screamed and was stunned when Belle held her arm softly, "Get off me!"

"Regina, please, there's no need to..."

"What is happening to you people? Why are you all being nice to me?!" She shouted once again, "You," she glared at Belle, "I imprisoned you! I took you away from Rumple, why are you being nice!" she watched the woman looked meaningfully at the older man.

"Long story..."

"Everyone's saying that! I am probably going to be here forever so I have all the time so tell ME!"

"Come on dearie, have a seat." Rumple motioned for her to sit on a chair at the corner. He watched the anxious woman eyed him suspiciously, "No tricks," he said raising both his palms in a surrender motion. Slowly Regina relented and took a sit on the offered chair.

"So?"

"We are not entitled to tell you the whole story Regina, that's the savior's job..."

"Savior?" She frowned, anger once again on her face, "You tell me to sit and calm down, I'm not going to accept NO for an answer, you will tell me now or I will promise..."

"You have succeeded in casting the spell Regina. I honored our deal, you know more than anyone that I don't go back on my deal and that no one breaks their deal with me. I got my son back..."

"What? That's ridiculous! I just got here! I just casted the spell. Is that how fast the curse work? And the memories?"

"The curse took effect thirty years ago Regina." Belle said with a smile.

Shock was just the right word to describe Regina's facial expression.

-0-

"Damn it all to hell!" Emma growled as she walked the road of Storybrooke heading to Mifflin street. She was halfway there when she's met with the presence of Henry and Ruby, who both wore a panic look on their faces. "Henry!" she called and was rewarded by the boy's hurried motion towards her. "What happened?"

"Ma," Henry said taking deep breaths, followed by Ruby who doesn't even seemed phased by their trek. "Mom awoke, I thought Mr. Gold said we have two to three days time until she wakes up?"

"What's happening Em? I was so surprised to see Regina back, but she seemed odd." Ruby asked worriedly, "She was acting as if she was still the evil queen,"

Emma sighed, "Ruby, that's because she _is_ the evil queen." The expression on Ruby's face was "huh?", "Look Ruby, I would have explained what happened to you once I get back to the mansion, that was until she woke up, and now those idiotic town's people made a big deal out of it."

"I really don't get it Ems,"

"Look," she said raising one hand to ruffle her already unruly blonde mane, "I'll explain everything Ruby, but for now we need to find her. Is there anything you need to tell me?"

"Ah," Henry said nervously, "She stormed off after learning that I'm Snow White's grandson?"

Emma's jaw dropped, "Kid..." she sighed, "That was too much information in her state right now,"

"I didn't mean to tell her! I was saying she was much beautiful than grandma and well, it slipped my tongue!" He said apologetic.

Emma smiled, "I can't blame you Henry, I think tongue slipping runs in our blood." She joked and that diffuse the air between the three, "So where are you supposed to be heading?"

"Oh, she was trying to throw me off the wall with her magic, but she doesn't have one so I'm guessing she's going to Gold for explanation?" Ruby said unsure,

"That's a good place to start, besides, if she thinks that this is the accurse place she was expecting and..."

"She was surprised that everyone remembered who they were," Henry supplied.

"Yeah, she would be!" The sheriff confirmed then put a hand on her son's shoulder, "I have a mission for you Henry,"

The smile on her son's face was a balm to her, "I want you to find your grandma and grandpa, they are trying to contain everyone, there's too many for them to do it fast, and we can't rely on Granny's, she's a bit on the nasty and I doubt anyone will listen to her to calm down,"

"But... Ma! You're just dismissing me on finding mom!"

"Henry –"

The boy's shoulders slumped, "Okay," he said defeated, "But you'll bring mom back to the mansion yes?"

"I will." she looked at the were woman, "Will you go with Henry?"

Ruby grinned, "Sure, but you owe me a story!"

The blonde nodded her head, "Sure Rubes, now you two, scram!" With a wave, Henry ran with Ruby guiding, since the woman could hear faint sound of screaming. Emma on the other hand ran towards the pawnshop.

-0-

"I don't believe you! Since I woke up, everything in this damned world _you_ created were mocking me! How would I know that you weren't in cohort with all this people to drive me insane?! YOU are RUMPLESTILTSKIN and _you_ have manipulated me my whole life!"

"I know dear," Rumple said in acceptance.

Regina's one brow raised, "What? That's it? Just like that, no snide remark?"

"No dear, we are very much over that by now."

Regina paced the store not noticing the slight bloodstain she left on the ground due to her feet that was bleeding from walking the rough road barefoot. "I get it, you are putting me in a false sense of security and when I am _vulnerable_ you're going to strike and make me more miserable!"

"Regina..." Belle called in a pleading voice

Perfectly shaped finger with red painted nails points at the woman, "_You_ don't get to say anything Belle,"

"I was just saying you should sit and let me take a look at your feet!" Belle replied irately,

She looked down at her feet and realized the smaller woman was right, she could feel the stinging pain it brought but it was nothing compared to the pain in her chest that was brought about by her killing her father for a world that is not even in her own design. She killed the only person who loved her despite of all the evil things she did to get her happy ending and take theirs, especially Snow's but here she is, in a world with no magic and SNOW still get to be with Charming, with a child and now a grandson! _UNFAIR _ doesn't even cover it! "What is wrong with you people! Stop being kind! Stop caring! No one does! NO ONE!"

"That's were you're wrong..."

None from the occupants of the store noticed the door opening, and the sheriff coming in.

-0-

"I guess Ruby is right," she mumbled when she arrived at the front of the pawnshop. She could see Regina pacing to and fro, making wild gestures with her hand. From the looks of if, she was more upset than angry. _Well who wouldn't be upset? She woke up and everything she desired, she planned was not as it should be..._ She took a deep breath before she strode forward and opened the door.

"What is wrong with you people! Stop being kind! Stop caring! No one does! NO ONE!" Regina had her hands flailing in the air, probably trying to wrap her mind on the events that had unfold before her eyes.

"That's were you're wrong..." she said noticing three sets of eyes focusing on her, "We care Regina."

She watched the woman she love, a genuine smile on her lips, her eyes glassy from unshed tears. Her Regina is alive, well, angry, upset and probably now bent on destroying everyone in Storybrooke but still, alive, that's a very good thing.

"And who are you?" There was a crease on the woman's forehead. This Regina looked so much younger. Her eyes though were hard and the walls were much tighter than the Regina she had met in Storybrooke two years ago.

"Emma, my name is Emma." she could see that there is a hint of recognition in her eyes,

"I don't recall an Emma in Enchanted Forest, but I feel like I've heard you before." The quizzical gaze was in full force. "Your voice..."

"Oh," Emma smiled and shrugged. She inserts her thumbs on her jean pockets and looked at Mr. Gold, "Henry told me Regina has no magic? How come?"

Regina's eyes widened, "You know that boy Henry?" she asked in a harsh tone.

"Yes," she nodded, "He's our son." she watched Gold rolls his eyes at the confession.

"WHAT?!" Regina in a move so evil queen was now suddenly invading Emma's space. Oh well, she could recall the same thing happening from two years ago and how she enjoys being in this space a lot if not all the time. The scent of apple and breeze permeated her senses, the smell she missed so much from the woman. "YOU and ME, we have a son?"

"Well... yes?"

"Sheriff Swan," Gold or Rumple interrupted before a fight escalates. The town do missed these two women fight, but not in his store where these two could potentially ruin his collections. "I think it is safe for you to get Regina home?"

The two women looked at the man,

"I'm not done talking to you imp!" Regina growled

"Her magic?"

"Regina," he sighed, "If you have any more question, you can ask the sheriff, she can answer your queries more than I can. as for your concern sheriff, I might have an idea."

"What?" both women asked with different tone.

"It probably has to do with your journey from Enchanted Forest to here, two different worlds where magic works differently. It's probably still sleeping inside her, I'm sure it will wake up soon."

"How soon?" Regina asked with one raised brow.

"I have no idea Regina," he smiled, "You're supposed to wake up in three days, and yet here you are, alive and kicking the first day you arrive here."

"You're saying her power must be slow in catching up with her?" Emma asked,

"Yes, that's what I think. If in three days your magic doesn't return, you can comeback and I'll gladly see what I can do."

Doubt clouded the former queen's face, "At what cost? You don't help Rumple, you always makes deal."

"True dearie," he said in his usual Rumple tone, "But as I've said, Belle here had made me promise not to make deals anymore. You see? She has my dagger and she's in command."

Regina's eyes locked with the smaller brunette, "And you're not making your _dog_ attack me? I did put you in prison."

Belle smiled and shook her head, "I've already forgiven you for that Regina."

"Hah!" Regina said turning dramatically and waving her hands in the air, "What the _hell_ are these people eating! They're getting on my nerves! Argh!" she stomped out of the store.

"Ems," Belle called and got the sheriff's attention, "Her feet are bleeding, I think she had walked from the mansion to here barefoot."

Emma nodded and smile, "Thanks," and then she turned and went after the still seething woman.

-0-

"Regina wait!" she said running after the woman who was walking and glaring daggers at anyone looking at her. She was able catch her and held on to the mayor's elbow. "Please stop,"

The ex-queen turned around and shifted her glare on the sheriff, "Tell me why I should not pull your heart out and kill you?" she asked in her supposed scary voice.

Emma grinned, she missed that tone of the mayor's voice. "One, you don't have magic yet to accomplish that, two, if you kill me now you won't get answers, and three, even if you try, you won't be able to pull out my heart out of my chest." That last sentence caught the queen's attention.

"Are you saying I'm not powerful enough to accomplish that?" she eyed the yellow haired woman shook her head. She arched one brow to silently tell the woman to continue.

"I'm not saying that, all I'm saying is that, your mother tried once and she failed." With that explanation, Regina's demeanor changed from angry to worried.

"My... my mother is here?" her voice quaked and Emma felt sad for her.

"No," taking advantage of Regina's confusion, she took her mobile phone and dialed Ruby's number. On the third ring the part-time deputy answered.

"_Hey Ems, I'm on my way to Gold's, I'm driving the cruiser, Henry called and told me he remembered his mom running out without shoes!"_ she heard over the phone.

"Jeez, you are a life saver Rubes!"

"What is that thing?!" Regina asked when she calmed her nerves and saw the 'sheriff' talking to a small box, she could also hear a voice from it. "Is that magic?" she frowned, "That twat lied to me! He said there was no magic!"

The taller woman grinned, "This?" she said showing the now closed mobile, "Is called a mobile and this isn't magic."

"But it talks!" she said angrily, "Don't you dare try to make me look stupid!"

"Regina..." she singsong, "This isn't really magic and I'm telling the truth. We call this technology."

"I don't get it..."

"Envision it as one Victor would do."

"Frankenstein? He is here? How? He is not from Enchanted Forest!" Regina exclaimed, once again angry.

"Calm down, none of us have an idea how he gets to be here too." Emma replied and whatever question Regina was going to make was halted at the sound of blaring siren and the arrival of the police car.

"WHAT IS THAT NOISE!" she said putting each palms flat on her ears. "What is this world! Argh!" Yes, Emma thought, that sounds like a frustrated Regina. Who can blame her? All these things are too much to take in all at once!

Ruby went out of the car and grinned at the two women, "Your majesty," Ruby said bowing at Regina, "You're carriage awaits." she said opening the door to the back seat.

Another frown developed on the woman's face, "Where are the horses?"

The were woman's grin widened, "Oh your majesty, the horses are inside that!" she said pointing at the hood. "Sixteen horses all in all."

"Ruby!"

The glare the older woman sent to the grinning waitress cum deputy says that once her power is back, this woman who was mocking her is toast. "What kind of horses do you have here then? Miniature?"

Emma tried to contain her laughter and she succeeded, "Ah, no not really. It's really hard to explain, so just get in and we'll go back to the mansion."

"You mean to my castle?"

"Yes, but we call it mansion here?" She smiled and helped the woman in.

"I can do it myself!"

"I know, I'm still helping." she said and glared at Ruby, "You're driving Ruby and I'm staying here with Regina."

"Sure boss,"

"What word is boss?"

"English," Ruby answered.

-End Chapter 6-

I think there will be a lot of this kind of scenes for Regina and Emma, I mean, this is like re-educating Regina. Perhaps I should just change my story's title to "The Re Education of one Regina Mills", but that is too long!


	8. Chapter 8

**Second Chances**

_Chapter 7_

Emma watched the seething woman who was pacing in the vast living room of the mansion. Behind was the large, black, leather sofa where Henry was sitting and watching his mother pace with a grin on his young face. She shook her head, once upon a time, Henry would have been bothered by her mom pacing and looking angry that one wrong move or one wrong word, the brunette would probably start another kingdom wide curse. Now, the kid was amused. He looked happy though, he and her did got their second chance with the woman they both loved and lost.

Ruby was called for duty by Granny, thank God for small favors like that. She was not sure if she could take Ruby's incessant questioning, she was sure that if she's still curious, she could ask the old woman, besides, she was there in the meeting and from the look of it, she knew more about Regina than anyone here in Storybrooke, Mary – er – Snow included.

"Gina..." the blonde called with a smile, but it dropped when the pacing stopped and Regina's face suddenly contorted in pain before her eyes flashed anger more intense than earlier. She turned her attention on the sheriff who was leaning at the wall watching, "Re –"

"Don't. You. Ever. Call. Me that!" She screamed, eyes ablaze. The sudden transformation shocked Emma and Henry, the kid flinched on his seat and moved away a bit from the seething mother.

Two hands were raised in surrender, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you mad..."

"You all are making me mad from the moment I wake up until now!" she screamed again, turned with a growl in a 360 degree angle, facing the blonde once again, "What have you done to me?!" sheriff noticed the smaller woman's limbs were trembling. "You were there in my chamber when I casted the curse! I remember now your voice! YOU DID SOMETHING TO ME!" The woman lunged at the awaiting sheriff, her intent though was halted when strong arms caught the woman in an embrace, firm, strong...

Safe.

"You know, you really don't have to be strong all the time Regina. I'm sorry I did something to make you mad, and yes, I was there when you cast the curse." Regina was stunned to silence, she was still enfolded in the taller woman's arms,

"Let me go," it was not a request, it was an order.

"Not until you calm down Regina."

"LET ME GO!" the trembling worsened,

"I said no," and then there was a struggle, _damn, Regina maybe smaller than me, but she is strong!_ The struggle though stopped when another pair of arms wrapped around the angry woman's waist.

"Mom, please?"

That was all that it take and Regina stopped struggling and leaned on the strong woman's embrace, "I don't have a son..." she mumbled.

"Shhh," Emma eyed Henry asking silently to let go of the topic for now, "You are exhausted Regina and hurt, you need to sit."

"I need to do something,"

"Once you get your power back, then you can do everything." She said smiling as she and her son guided the mayor to the large couch. "Henry, will you get the medicine kit?" Henry ran off to the main bath to retrieve it, "And get some gauze and bandages!" she hollered as a follow up.

"Why is everyone nice to me?" Regina asked no one in particular. "Why does everyone remember? Why do they have their happy ending? Even the imp... I killed my father –" she raised her right hand that she used to pull her father's heart, "I killed my father to finally get my revenge on everyone, on Snow White, and even here in this accurse world, she gets her happy ending." She was startled by fingers caressing her cheek,

"You will have your happy ending too,"

A sneer on a perfect face, "Villains don't get happy ending." she turned her head slowly at the blonde woman, "Why are you doing this?"

_Because I love you?_ "Because... because I care,"

The woman sitting chuckled, "You sound just like Snow White, it's irritating." _well, I think it runs in the family huh? Caring I mean - _ she thought.

"Here!" Henry returned with the medicine kit, gauze and bandages.

"I could just heal myself!" she snapped and tried to shake a foot off the sheriff's hand.

"When you get your magic back, you can heal all your wounds, for now, I doubt you have any idea what you are going to do with all of this..."

Another huff, "I know herbal healing! I don't waste my magic on simple things such as this." chocolate eyes met the green of the kneeling woman who shrugged her shoulders and gave the kit to the stubborn mayor.

"Suit yourself." she said standing. Henry and her though didn't leave the living room and they decided to watch.

"What are you looking at? I'm not a jester to entertain you buffoons!"

Henry leaned sideward to her birth mother and whispered, "Wow, she's in rare form when she's the evil queen huh?" he saw his mom nod her head, "Well, I guess now that I get to meet the Evil Queen, I should grovel on mom's feet once she gets her memories back cause my mom isn't anything like her."

Emma turned her focus on her son, "Henry, your mom has no amnesia, _this_ mom of yours really has no memories of what transpired 30 years ago." A nod of dark hair, "And _she_ is your mom, she's just at the peak of her hurting days."

"So what are we going to do?"

"We re educate your mom step by step." their whispered conversation was interrupted by the frustrated grunt coming from the woman. When they look, all antiseptics, antibiotic creams and gauzes were scattered around the brunette.

"What kind of herbal medications are THESE!" she said holding on a bottle of 90 percent ethyl alcohol and flung it towards mother and son.

The two eyed each other before stepping close to the woman chuckling, "Let me help you then your majesty," Emma said and this stopped the woman from fussing.

"You finally got the respect down spot!" Emma rolled her eyes, knelt and started working on Regina's sore feet... which was somewhat hard since the queen had fought all through out the process.

-0-

Lunch was brought by Ruby care of Granny's. An extra large burger for Emma and Henry, extra crispy french fries and large sodas. Roast pink salmon with garden salad and apple shake were prepared for the brunette which the Mayor gruffly accepted. Ruby watched with rapt attention as the three ate at the dining table and the mayor or now that she knew more, the "evil queen" gave them surreptitious glances as she ate her fill.

"Who is Granny?" she asked with one brow raised.

"My grandmother duh?" Ruby replied with a wide smile pasted on her face.

"I need a cook, she should be here." It was a demand which caused the three to laugh softly and the 'queen' to slap the dinner table hard as she stood, "WHAT IS FUNNY!" the three laughing people in the room were sure that if Regina could conjure her balls of wire, all three of them would have been roasted. A roasted Swan, A roasted Wolf, and a Roasted Henry complete with apple _in_ the mouth.

Emma coughed before answering, "Well, I don't think you'd be able to make her do anything she doesn't want to do, she is her own woman, I doubt _you _can intimidate her."

"Is that a challenge peasant?"

"Emma! Em-ma!"

"Peasant!"

"I'm not going to answer to peasant." Emma calmly said and continued eating her burger.

"Alright," Regina calmed down and sat back regally, "Where can I see this Granny you are talking about?" She eyed Ruby first, but the grin on the other brunette's face tells her she's not going to budge, and knowing that without her magic, this woman could overpower her, she turned her focus on the young boy, "Henry?"

"That's unfair!" The sheriff whined, "You call him by his name and you can't say mine! UNFAIR!" and there was a beginning of a pout on the blonde woman's face that surprised the older woman, but she kept the surprise down and raise one brow as a challenge.

Henry made a zipping motion across his mouth, and then watched her mom glare at her ma whose pout seemed to develop into a full blown puppy dog pout, _amazing, Ma can actually do that thing? Even I will give her my soul with that!_

"Argh!" The queen trailed her hair in frustration, "Alright! EM-MA, where is this Granny?!" _the nerve of this woman! Once I get my magic back I will have you in my dungeon! I will eat you alive!_

The winning smile was so bright that it could be compared to morning sunshine, "See, was that so hard? Saying my name I mean. And to answer your question, she is at the diner." Green eyes danced with mirth as she watched the woman in front of her tried hard to contain her wall around her. She knew that it was unfair to the brunette that she knew what buttons to push on the other woman since she had just arrived at this new world and the changed probably overwhelmed her, but well, _grab when opportunity strikes!_

"Diner?"

"Where you buy food and eat? Diner." The nod of dark head, minimal as it seemed was enough answer. "Though if you really want to see Granny, you should... well... you should..." Emma doesn't know how to say it without embarrassing Regina to anger.

"Take a bath?" Ruby supplied grinning and then pursed her lips together at the death glare she got from the still displeased mayor.

"Alright, then that's next in our agenda, we all take a bath!" Henry interrupted saving the were woman from the evil queen's wrath.

-0-

Post lunch activity then was 'bath' time in Regina's master bath. The regal queen was standing at the entrance of the bathroom, body wrapped with soft towel and was frowning. She looked back to see the tall brunette and the blonde watched her. "What are you two doing?"

"Ah," Emma smiled, "Making sure you are okay?"

"Okay?"

"She means alright, that you are alright? You are good?"Ruby explained.

"I'm not alright dears, you know why?" A mocking tone accompanied the woman's sarcastic look.

"Why?" The two women asked worried.

"Because you two are standing there when you can prepare my bath by HEATING WATER!" Silence as the other two tried to take in what the queen said and when it sunk in, Ruby laughed out loud while Emma tried her best to contain her laughter. Regina's eyes widened, "YOU IMPERTINENT IMPS!"

"Oh God, please make her stop Emma! Please!" the laughing brunette is clutching her side.

The blonde on the other hand did some deep breathing techniques and it worked, she contained her laugh but smiled at the livid woman. She stepped closer to Regina and held her elbow, before carefully leading the woman inside. "I'll show you how the bath work Regina, come on."

"What are you trying to do pe...Emma? You two are mocking me and I cannot take that!"

"Sorry Regina, Ruby was just being her usual ass-self,"

"You kiss your mother with that mouth?!" Regina exclaimed, "Even peasants talk better than you!"

Emma shrugged her shoulders, "And again, I am not a peasant." she closed the bathroom door, "Ignore Ruby, she's not worth your time, for the mean time, I let you get acquainted with your bathroom..."

And Emma one by one explained each bathroom amenities to the stunned woman and how to use them. And soon, the queen herself had prepared her bath and happily went in. Emma enjoyed teaching Regina this, perhaps, _her _curiosity with this world's technology will help the woman forget that she was the evil queen, even just for a while.

-0-

It was nearing four in the afternoon when Emma and Regina went out of the house, Henry went with Ruby to Snow and David's house to inform them that her mom will be going to the diner and that they should make themselves scarce. After that, the two would have to convince the dwarves to do the same, it was just precautionary measure, just in case Regina get something, even the most ordinary utensil, and use it to kill her mother and her minions. Regina was dressed in a plain pinstriped, black pencil cut, a gray sleeveless shirt that hugs the older woman's upper body. The ensemble was completed with a black, high heeled shoes.

Upon reaching the front porch Emma stopped. "Regina,"

"Your majesty," Regina cut off,

"Regina," The younger woman insisted and did not let the brunette repeat her sentiment, "I have a surprise for you... two surprises actually." she looked at the woman who just arched an eyebrow at her, "Come on." Without thinking she grabbed the woman's hand and lightly pulled.

Regina on the other hand was surprised at the gesture. No one had ever dared to claim her hand the way this impertinent woman had done. Even her father was not that forward to her. The only person who had ever held her that way was Daniel... and the pain in her heart had doubled. She lost her true love to her mother, and lost her beloved father to the curse, and she still end up... ALONE. UNHAPPY. UNLOVE.

Her tumultuous musing had corrupted her focus, that when she stopped, she gasp in surprise to see her beloved apple tree. "Is this...this..."

Emma smiled, "Your apple tree, this is the one you have in your castle." she said raising a hand to the branch that was cut off raggedly. Regina tracked the hand and frowned at the scarred trunk.

"Who..." The blonde woman's faced reddened,

"We had a fight back then and to get back at you, I tried sawing off this branch with a chainsaw." The queen looked at the other woman's contrite facial expression. The blonde's remorse was palpable, so she didn't reply, instead she stepped close to her tree and put a hand over the heart of the trunk.

"It's alive," she watched the blonde nod her head, and then she saw it... the woman is in tears.

"When... when we thought we lost you, well... the tree... it was dying. I –"

Regina turned her focus on the tree and lean forward, resting her forehead on the trunk, hand still on place. "My father helped me plant this when I was young, it's all that remain of him with me. It's all I have now."

Emma eyed the Queen, "That's not true." she saw the woman looked at her in disbelief. "You may not feel it now, but sooner or later, you will see what I mean."

"Get me to that diner now." She said in a stern voice. Mask once again well worn.

When they get off the garden, they found the black Mercedes at the parking. Emma stepped closer to it leading Regina, and then she tapped the trunk of the car before facing the other, "This is your car,"

"Is that the same as the carriage we rode earlier?" A frown creased her face.

"Yes, but this is better and this is yours."

"Mine?"

"Yes, you drive it."

"WHAT! There is no way I'm driving a carriage, that is beneath my status! I will need a carriage driver." Emma smiled.

"Well, for now, I can double as your driver. I can ferry you to wherever you need to be." she grinned. Not in her wildest dream could she drive this luxury car. Regina doesn't trust her with this baby. Emma opened the back door and mock curtsy, "Your majesty," she said and with a frown, the mayor entered.

-0-

At the diner, Emma opened the door for Regina and the two went in. There were few faces eating that Regina had recognize. There was this woman who exactly look like Cinderella, and she was with a small daughter. They both looked at her, Cinderella greeted her which she didn't returned. The little girl waved at her and as she passed the mother and daughter, she heard the girl asked, "That's Auntie mayor?".

_Auntie... her?_

And then she saw a family of three. The tall man she remembered as the outlaw Robin hood. The man eyed her with the look as if he's going to devour her and she arched a brow at him. What surprised her was the little boy who ran to her and clung to her thigh, "Regina! You are back!" he said with wide eyes. "I missed you!"

"Rolan!" The woman with the outlaw called as she approached her son, "Madame Mayor," she greeted, "Ah, well... I'm Marion,"

"I remember you, you are the leader of the rebellion. You are here? You survived the death row?" The woman winced and this caused the outlaw to stand, and was about to attack –

"You stand your ground man if you don't want this arrow to imbed in your chest!" A gruff, angry and pissed voiced shouted causing everyone to turn their attention behind the bar...

Regina's eyes widened, her heart start pounding in her chest and a lump formed in her throat, "Nana..."

-End Chapter 7-

Sorry I updated late in the evening so I get to write only one chap. See you next time then. Ciao!


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry, got busy for a while and then, there were so many SwanQueen fics still out there I want to read, that's why this installment was written a few days apart compared to previous chapters. Thank you again for the readers, those who followed and favorited and for those who left reviews.

**Second Chances**

_Chapter 8_

"_Nana..."_ The Evil Queen was stunned, her eyes were wide and suddenly, there was this ache in her chest.

"Oh Gina," Granny Lucas brought down her weapon carelessly on top of the bar and walked slowly, but steadily to the still woman. "I remember you giving me the same reaction before,"

"Before?" Regina watched the old woman stepping close to her, "How... my mother... she..."

The old woman laughed, the action was a bit unnerving and Emma was surprised, this was the first time she actually heard the strict woman laughing. _Regina the Mayor has nothing compared to this woman's attitude and now SHE is laughing? What the heck is happening in my Town?_ The sheriff thought.

"Not even your mother can end this life of mine child, unless I let her!" There was a very sincere and loving smile on the diner's owner's face, a smile Emma knew was exclusively given to her friend Ruby and that is not everyday! "Come here and give me a hug!"

The Evil Queen could careless about the people around her, she ran the short distance and fell on the older woman's open arms. "My mother said you were dead and it was all because of me! Nana!" and she can't be bothered by these peasants watching her break down in the arms of the woman she had known all her life, the woman she had regarded more as a mother than her own.

"We never did get really to talk about this didn't we?" Granny said placing a hand on the crying woman's back, "Well let's sit child and I will tell you my story –" she look around, "Everyone! My diner is close now, you can thank me later for your meals. So now, get out!" she yelled.

The Sheriff watched the people hurriedly finish their food and scramble pout of the diner. She looked at the old woman who led the queen to a corner booth and was about to leave, "Not you Sheriff, I believe you need to be here to hear my story."

Regina pushed her face away from her nana who smells the same as she remembered. The smell of home cook meal, warmth and love all covered with hard exterior that scares wolves away, but still the woman who had cared for her, who had made sure not even a fly would dare touch her skin, the woman who had stayed awake every time she was sick, the only one who had stood against her mother when she would deem her inappropriate and needs punishment. "Why does she needs to stay? She is a peasant!"

"Gina, don't go calling people that in front of me, you know I do not condone such behavior, I am not your mother." Emma was surprised to see the sudden change in the stoic woman's face, _did Granny just reprimanded the Evil Queen and... she's getting away from it? Oh wow... I am now Granny's disciple!_ Regina looked chastised and did not answer, instead she once again buried her face on the woman's shoulder. "Emma needs to be here, she needs to hear my story."

"Why?"

"Because _she_ returned you to me." Granny's dark eyes trailed on the woman hugging her and smiled at the woman's accepting nod. Silence descended upon the three woman as soon as Emma locked the door to the diner and turned the sign to 'close'. She hurriedly sent a message to Ruby about the sudden change in her schedule of work, before sitting on the bench opposite to where Granny and Regina were sitting.

"I believe you have talked with Rumplestiltskin about his pass in relation with Gina Sheriff?" The blonde nodded her head, "He told you about hiring a nanny for this beautiful girl?" Another nod, "I was that nanny."

"I see,"

"I was a maiden who has no intention of getting married. All I wanted was to have my own cottage away from my uncaring parents, and have some income in addition. I wasn't well read and I am quite ignorant in many things, especially about magic, so when one night, while I was sitting on top of our cottage's roof, this man with golden eyes and green, scaly skin appeared beside me."

"Rumple?" sheriff asked.

"Yes, he told me that he'd heard my wish and that he is willing to give it to me, of course in exchange of something." The old woman looked at the two younger ones listening to her attentively. Regina showing no signs of acknowledgement aside from the tightening of her hold. Emma on the other hand nods her head in understanding. "So as I was ignorant of anything magical, I agreed and he told me his proposal. It wasn't bad, all I had to do was nurse this beautiful child. My heart wasn't on it at first, but when I saw this child crying, wrapped in white silk cloth, the beautiful face and twinkling eyes with tears, my heart melted and I went to work immediately."

Granny Lucas sighed as her eyes focused somewhere in the diner as she reminisce time long past, "When she turned three, the Dark One suddenly brought me and my dear Regina to the Mill's palace. I had no idea why, before the Rumple left, he spoke to me in private and said that my work will continue, I will make sure that Regina grows up. That was all he wanted me to do." She shook her head, "I heard form the many servants of the manor about who the couple were and who are they in Regina's life,"

"Parents?"

"I'm now wondering which from him giving me back to my parents or him taking me from them was more cruel." Regina mumbled, her voice sound tired and the two other people in the establishment understood. This day was a roller coasted ride for the Evil Queen.

"Anyway, the moment I saw Cora looked at the girl, I knew I had my work cut out for me. So I made sure the woman doesn't hurt Regina. But I'm but a Nanny, and I can't see to my girl all the time."

"Why did you left me?"

Granny leaned her head on Regina's top, "I will never leave you Gina, but it was that or my life. I tried fighting against your mother, but she's strong, she had her hand inside my chest and was about to pull my heart out..."

Regina pushed away and looked at the older woman's scared eyes, "Then what stopped her?"

"Rumple." the three women sighed, "He said something about fulfilling a bargain made and that my work for him had come to end. He cannot fulfill a deal with a dead body so he stopped your mother. He send me to a well covered land surrounded by wolves, well, werewolves as a matter of fact, and the rest was history."

"She told me that you're dead, and I knew she has something to do with it. She lied to me!" Regina stood angry as she walked out of the booth and paced in the small diner lobby.

"She did," The old woman agreed.

"Well, if she didn't, you'd probably runaway to look for Granny, so maybe that's why?" Emma said wincing, reminding her of what Regina herself done to Henry a few years back.

Regina shook her head, before she composed herself and the Evil Queen Persona once again resurfaced. "No matter, Hook had taken care of her and I made sure she is left in that wretched land." Here the two woman eyed each other knowingly and this did not go unnoticed by the pacing woman, she stopped and looked hard. "You know something I don't?"

"It's a long story Gina," Granny Lucas said this time,

"I don't think I'm going anywhere so I have time..."

Granny stood and stepped close to the tired looking mayor, "I know, so why don't you get back to your place and rest. We can talk again tomorrow." she saw the dejected look on the other woman which was covered once again with her indifferent mask.

"Why don't you come with me?"

"Gina, I have a Diner and a hotel to manage." The queen nodded her head.

"I can't cook here... I don't see any cooking pit." Both Emma and Granny grinned.

"Hey, I may not know how to cook but I know how to operate the stove and the oven!"

"A stove? Oven?"

"Hah! You better come with me and see! You got a full packed Refrigerator and cabinets!"

"Ref...Ref..."

"Oh come on!" Emma didn't wait for the woman to get her bearings back, she instead pulled on the older woman's hands and out of the diner, "We'll get back to you Granny! Maybe you can send us some food for Dinner! Tell RUBY!" the sheriff yelled as she pulls the queen out.

Regina eyed the old woman who smiled at the departing figure, "Tomorrow my Gina," a nod was the simple answer given to her.

-0-

Cooking was hilarious. The Evil Queen knows the ingredients and the how, but the lack of experience with the technology had both women made a mess out of everything. At the end of their tutoring session, Regina was tired and frustrated, while Emma was tired and well... nothing could dampen her happiness, no matter how bitchy the Evil Queen gets or no matter how below the belt the other woman's words were. She had put it in herself to be more patient, besides, she had made the decision of bringing back _**THE**_Evil Queen with her eyes open.

Granny had sent Ruby with their dinner, and once again, it was on the house. Regina glared at the burgers Henry and Emma gets and in no gentle way did she command Emma to switch food with her, which was a turkey sandwich with gravy, plus Caesar salad on the side. Henry almost peed himself as he watch her 'mom' eat the burger and make moaning sounds of pleasure which affected the blonde woman beside. The sheriff's face turned all red, and Henry can't tell the reason for her birth mother's behavior, _maybe it's the turkey? _ But when the Evil Queen's moan continued and gets louder, and then his 'ma' suddenly excused herself and ran to the nearest rest room, and then the Queen suddenly erupted in maniacal laughter, that's when Henry realized what was happening, he began laughing hard to the point he too needed to use the rest room.

When the blonde returned, she whined, "Damn it Regina, I won't be able to eat burgers the same way again! Damn it!" That resulted to another bout of laughter from the Evil Queen. "You are EVIL." she growled before looking down at her almost uneaten sandwich and hurriedly eat.

-0-

The Queen settled for another long bath while Emma took out Regina's favorite PJs, of course she did it with the help of Henry. 30 minutes passed, Henry who was getting sleepy decided to call it a night and yelled a good night to her mom before hugging his birth mother. Emma on the other hand decided to stay at the bedroom and wait.

Another 30 minutes, still, nothing from the bathing Queen. _Maybe she liked the bath so much, she's taking the time..._

But another 30 minutes? The Sheriff's eyes were drooping, and she had caught herself one too many times falling asleep sitting. The last time, she felt her head bumped the side of the head board hard and that's when she decided to get into the Queen's personal space. Tip toeing, she went inside the bathroom which the older woman left open, and cautiously glide towards the tub. She can still hear the Jacuzzi going on, but aside from that? Nothing. So she slid the glass door open and she sighed when she saw the brunette sleeping. She was sitting with her back resting on the tub wall, her head was supported by the tub edge.

"You're pruning your majesty," she whispered and decided there and then that there is no need for her to wake the woman up. With renewed strength, she took a towel, stepped in the tub, bent down, and carefully lifted Regina to her arms after dropping the towel on top. "If you were your other self, you'll probably kill me for what I'm about to do next, glad you're not her..."

Emma almost dropped the woman when an unexpected reply came to her, "What other self pea... Emma are you talking about?" it was asked gently, and Regina's eyes were still close.

"Ah, well – that would be a story for another day?" _Don't ask again! Don't ask again!_

Chocolate colored eyes opened and focused on the other woman's nervous gaze, "What are you going to do next?" a grin...feral grin.

"Ah, lay you down on the bed?"

"And then?"

"Let you sleep?"

One brow arched, "I am naked, wet and limp in your arms, and that's all you're going to do?" another hot flush appear on the younger woman's face, "Don't tell me you're a virgin?"

The blonde's eyes widened, "WHAT? What the...of course, I mean NO! Of course not! What made you think that?" The queen instead of verbalizing her response made a circular move on Emma's face, "Oh, I... I'm just not used to you being so, so..."

"Evil?"

"Forward,"

Another feral grin on the older woman's face, "Why does Henry calls you Ma? I thought I'm his mom." Emma gently put Regina down on the carpeted floor. She was about to step away when the Queen stopped her, "You are supposed to dry me, I am your Queen is it not?"

"Wha-" Emma watched as Regina continued to stand with her hand on the side, all naked and wet in front of her. The blond groaned not from anger but from frustration, she was feeling her libido rampaging in increment, since she had seen _her_ Regina again, and this..._ this isn't good!_ Still, she did Regina's bidding and dried the woman with the towel that had fell on the floor.

"So answer me while you work," Regina said in her usual cold voice.

"I'm Henry's birth mother and you adopted him when I gave him up for adoption." There was a pause.

"I don't remember that being included in the story I told _that_ witch to make,"

Emma stood and took the PJs from the bed, "No, it was not in the story you made. Here, lift your legs into this," she said kneeling in front and the standing woman followed the direction.

"There's too many things that doesn't go right with that story," Regina huffed and continued to follow Emma's orders as the woman put on the PJ top. Emma's blush has not receded in fact, it's getting darker despite the final covering of the other woman's body. "I admit though, how the three kids seem to like me was quite – interesting,"

"It is! Lay down now?" Emma asked as she pulled the cover up for Regina to get in.

"Are you tucking me in? The last person who did that was Nana," she said smiling in remembrance.

"Would you like me to tuck you in?" A smile so pure caught the Evil Queen's aware and for a moment, every wall built around the woman dropped, and then it went up again.

"No, you may take your leave."

A smirk found Emma's face, "I'm not planning on going anywhere, besides, I am not your chambermaid or something, I just want to help make you feel comfortable,"

"I am comfortable now." Regina said harshly before pulling the covers over her.

"Good night then Regina," and without thinking, Emma stepped close to the woman and planted a kiss on the Queen's forehead. "Sweet dreams," she whispered, turned and hurriedly walked out of the room.

The Evil Queen was speechless as she eyed the woman step out of her chamber, _what a peculiar woman._


	10. Chapter 10

**Second Chances**

_Chapter 9_

Unpainted, luscious lips slightly opened as a groan erupted from once sealed lips. Another heaviness or was it the boy's head pressing down on her chest once again? Verdant eyes met her dark hazel ones when she opened her eyelids. A grin spread on the boy's face that reminds her of the blonde woman who had tucked her in last night.

"Don't you have your own bed Henry?" Regina asked once a frown found her once peaceful face. A nod of head was the answer she gets. "Then why are you here – again?"

The grin spread wider, "I missed you." Henry get off the woman who hurriedly sat up. She was surprised when the boy left the bed and returned with clothes. "I am sure you would like to change into this," he shyly explained, "Do you want me to prepare your bath? Or maybe you could just shower? Ma is making us breakfast!"

"Ma?"

"Oh yes, that's Emma, and 'ma' could be the shortened form of her name or of Mama, so..." he shrugged his shoulders. His grin turned into a genuine smile when _the_ evil queen, his mom, took the offered clothes and stood.

"What is a shower?"

"Well..." he looked at the huge master's bath, "I'm really not good with explaining, but I can show you?" and his face brightened even more at the nod of raven, mussed head. Henry skipped towards the bath and when he was sure his mom was in, he started spouting words to explain everything... including what _she_ should use for her hair, her body and other parts of her body.

"For someone named after my father, you talk a lot." The Queen said huffing before going in the shower fully.

-0-

"I think she doesn't like me," Henry grumbles as he sat at the stool in front of the bar where his birth mom is making pancakes from generic pancake mix you can buy from the grocery.

"Come now Henry, _she_ doesn't like anyone here at the moment," she frowned, "Well except Granny, I didn't realize those two had history."

"History?"

"Remember I told you about what Gold told me before I jump?" Emma watched his son nod his head, "Granny was the nanny Rumple took to take care of your mom. Now don't go telling or yelling that to anyone."

"Ma!" Henry put a fist on his chest, "You wound me! Why would I tell anyone?"

"Tongue slipping is genetic, remember?" A grin on the blonde woman's face, "Though I'm sure that one skipped me!"

Henry chuckled, "I doubt it skips you ma, grandma's genes are too strong to skip you. I'm sure, Uncle Neal would be worst though, what with the genes and with grams and gramps taking care of him? He had it big time!"

"Hush!" Emma mocked reprimand her son, "Don't you let your grandma hear you say that. She'll be too devastated, she might drown the whole town with her tears."

"Whose tears?" both mother and son yelped in surprise at the stealthy intrusion of the Evil Queen.

"No one," the savior replied with a cheshire grin.

One arched brow met the other woman's expression, intimidating though it was, the effect failed to transmit to the younger woman, "Not even my EVIL glare works in this damn place!"

Henry tried to hide his chuckle but was unsuccessful, "Oh mom, don't worry, your evil glare works just fine, it's just that Ma is used to it already."

The ex-queen glared at the other woman whose back was on her. Her chocolate brown eyes seemed to bore a hole into the blonde woman's occipital head, and yet all she get was a shrug of femininely, muscular shoulders. "That's not going to work either your majesty."

"Argh! What in the name of Hades happened to my power!" She screamed, frustrated.

Emma turned to face her son's adoptive mother, a genuine smile on her face and a plate with pancake in her hand. "Your breakfast majesty," she said placing the plate in front of the woman who was still standing. "As for your magic, Mr. Gold did say he's going to help if it doesn't return in three days. Well, two now and counting."

A frown on the other woman's forehead, "You seemed to be fine with me getting my magic back. I would have guessed you and everyone in this place would rather have my power bound forever. I am the EVIL QUEEN for goodness sake." she then looked at the plate of pancakes in front of her. "What the HELL is this?"

Henry laughed softly, "Pancake mom,"

"Huh?"

"Just try it your maj, it's the only thing I can make without burning your kitchen down." Emma said as she turned and took her own plate of the sugary breakfast.

Another raised eyebrow, "You expect me to eat here? In this kitchen?"

"Ah... well we can eat at the dining table but..." Henry stopped thinking and just dug in, "I am hungry and I'm too weak to move and prepare the dining table! Besides, this is only pancake!" A bright idea came to his mind, "We could eat this in the living room while we watch TV!"

Emma's eyes widened, "Oh no Henry, we are drawing a line when it comes to eating and watching!" she looked at the other woman, "I could..." and stopped talking when she saw the Queen eating the pancake with gusto. "Oh well, I guess we could just finish this here." Long minutes of silence as the three occupants focused on eating. The blonde sheriff smiled as she watch the queen nod her head in appreciation of the treat she made. Then she watch her son who wore a permanent grin on his face. She doesn't need to be a mind reader to tell that her son is enjoying his adoptive mom's liking of the sweet concoction that she would normally scoff at.

"Thirty years?" Regina ended the silence with the question that matches the Queen's quizzical look on her face. "Are you trying to tell me that I have lost my memories of the last thirty years in this gods be damned land?"

Emma instead of answering looked at Henry wherein the boy rolled his eyes and began standing, "Okay, okay, I get it – adult chat- I'm going to watch TV."

An expression of doubt in his biological mother's face, "I'd be able to feel you if you are sneaking around and eavesdropping Henry. You know that right?"

"Yeah, yeah..."

"Yes." Regina corrected and saw Henry looked at her in bewilderment, "What? If you say you are my son, then there is no way I'm letting you get off saying yeah instead of the proper word YES. Where does this 'yeah' word come from anyway?"

Blonde mother and son laughed, "Oh gods Regina," Emma started, "It's English."

"Yes is the English word."

"It's colloquial! Street word? Informal?"

A wave of a hand followed by rolling of chocolate eyes, "Whatever," and that signals Henry to move out of the kitchen and proceed to the living room. "So, p – Emma, you were about to explain?"

The blonde took a deep breath and slowly released it, "Look Regina, this might be too much to take in at once if I tell you all the details. How about you ask me _specific_ questions and I'll give you the most honest answer? And please, minimize asking about 'whys'."

A nod of dark head. "Alright," a few moments of silence as the younger woman started placing their used plates and utensils to the dishwasher, "Did the imp or didn't he made good with his deal with me?"

Emma looked at the woman, her green eyes met chocolates, "He did."

"The curse worked?"

"It did."

"How does everyone remember who they were in Enchanted Forest?"

A sigh of surrender, and then she closes her eyes as she answer: "I... I broke the curse more than two years ago." Silence. When Emma opened her eyes, she saw the shock look on the Queen's face.

"Who are you?" it was obvious, the queen was trying her best to control her anger.

"They call me the savior but..."

"YOU! YOU... You are the child of Snow White and Charming?!" _how did I not get that? The boy did say he was Snow's grandson, and they told me in a not so subtle way that this peasant is his biological mother! How stupid am I?_

"Yes," _that's as well as it should go, I mean, I have to be honest right and she hasn't tackle me yet with a knife?_

"So what now?" The queen said after calming herself. "You and everyone else in this damned town know who I am. Why am I not being locked up?"

"Long story,"

"I have all the time!"

Emma sighed again, "They have forgiven you. You saved the whole town twice, saved me, saved Henry... saved Snow White."

"WHAT?!" Regina stood abruptly and turned around, hands flailing in the air as if she was trying to throw fire balls on the kitchen walls. "THAT IS PREPOSTEROUS! I WILL NOT SAVE THAT BRAT! NOT EVER AGAIN!" she faced the stunned blonde, "You are lying."

Blonde head shook to side, "I'm not lying."

A snarl, "how did I manage to do that?"

Emma's eyes closed, "I... Mr. Gold was angry that you took Belle away from him, so when the curse broke, he sic the wraith on you and, - "

"You saved me?"

"Sort of," she shrugged her shoulder, "We opened a portal where the wraith was thrown into, but well, the damn soul eater took me with it and my mother, I mean Snow jumped after me."

"What? I jumped after you two?" she shook her head which caused the older woman to frown, "So?"

"Ah, well, during our time in Enchanted Forest, we met your mother and Hook,"

"WHAT?!"

"Relax Regina, she is not here! Damn your mother is really one piece of work!" she watched the other woman paced in front of her, "Anyway, we communicated through Snow and Charming, you helped Charming go into deep sleep..."

"The sleeping curse?"

"Yes, and that's when we knew they were coming in here to get you, to get Henry."

"No..."

"Well, you and Rumple were aware of her vileness so you two cast a death curse around the 'well' which was the only portal that could be used that time."

"No beans?!"

"None yet!"another sigh, "Henry convinced you to remove the death curse,"

"That is impossible unless..."

"You absorbed it and almost died from it so that I and Snow could return here unharmed."

There was so much quiet. The pacing stopped, even the ex-queen's breathing stopped. "I can't believe this... I can't..."

"I'm telling the truth." the blonde frowned, "I can prove it,"

"How?"

"Dream catcher. I've used it once to look into a dog's memory, I can use it again."

A laugh. "How are you going to do that? Use the dream catcher on you? It doesn't work that way, Emma."

"True, but I can use it on Henry. He was there."

"No."

"No?"

"There is a better way, but I need to have my magic back."

"I'm game whenever you are your maj," she grinned. "Next question then?"

-0-

[30 years ago, Storybrooke]

_This can't be... The curse worked so where is she? This should be her and mine happy ending!_ He walked on the road eyeing everyone. It has been a month in this accurse land and he saw the pattern. Everything happens again and again, _does the day repeats itself? _No, the damn clothes were different everyday, the greetings too were different, but the circumstances were all the same_. So where is she?_

"Mr. Glass," the pawnshop owner greeted him. It was a first after a month of being transported in this world.

"Mr. Gold?" he stopped walking and he did as well.

"I... may I invite you to my shop. I have something to talk with you."

"Well," he hesitates, "I'm quite busy,"

"Oh come on Mr. Glass. You and I both know that there is nothing in here to be busy with. The Queen is missing right now, and I'm sure you are wondering how did that happen?"

A grim smile took over the dark man's face. "Very well,"

"Follow me,"

-0-

[Present]

"Did Rumple found his son?"

"He did." Emma saw the arched brow once again, "I found his son for him. That was what I do before I came here. I find people."

A roll of chocolate eyes, "By Hades, you are truly the daughter of that disgusting couple!"

"Hey!" Emma played hurt, "Well, their 'I'll find you' mantra is so cliché and it's so morbidly, irritatingly sweet but they are still my parents."

A huff, "Be thankful I don't have my magic right now. I would have curse you so that you can't speak at all!"

Green eyes rolled, "I could undo it with true love's kiss," she mumbled in one breath.

"What is that dear?" Regina asked leaning forward so that her cheek was mere centimeters away from the blonde's lips. Emma's face reddened and she tried her hardest to not just lean in and peck the woman's offered skin.

"I was just saying...cough... its great you don't have magic." the older woman nodded her head.

"So where is Baelfire?"

A sad expression crossed over the other woman's face which intrigued the queen. "You know how he always say that magic has a price yes?" she watched the brunette nod her head. "Well, it seems, Neal, or Baelfire paid the price of Rumple's magic."

Understanding take root on the older woman's face. "I see," she took a deep breath, "You seemed affected as much as Rumple."

Emma looked at the woman sitting on the couch beside her. Henry had finished watching and decided he wants to go see his uncle. Emma agreed since she knew that the day would be spent answering his adoptive mother's questions, and she was right. "Neal, I mean Baelfire was Henry's father."

"WHAT?!" The woman stood and paced once again. "EMMA! How many times are you going to shock me with information like that?! What are you trying to tell me?! That I adopted Rumple's grand son?!" she watched the still sitting woman nod her head. "WHAT KIND OF WORLD IS THIS?!"

"You haven't heard all of it..."Emma mumbled again.

"What's the next thing you're going to tell me? That YOU are my happy ending?!"

At this, Emma looked at the Queen. Her eyes wide in shock and her face turned different shade of red, "Ah..."

-End Chapter 9-

It's not really gonna be long now.


	11. Chapter 11

**Second Chances**

_Chapter 10_

[30 years prior, Storybrooke]

"So where is she?" The dark skinned man asked as he stood in front of the glass cabinet that housed Mr. Gold's precious collections. The older man was standing behind it, busy taking 'something' from the cabinet behind him. He didn't get any answer until the pawnshop owner turned around with a small. white globe in hand. He put it on the glassed cabinet and looked at Sidney glass, sneering.

"This will show us." He frowned, "How were you able to remember Mr. Glass?"

"Remember what?"

"Your character in Enchanted Forest." he smiled grimly, "No one but the Queen and I should remember."

A dark brow raised, "Does the Queen know that you should remember?" he returned the smile, "I'm privy to the information that only _her_ would remember once the curse is enacted. And for your question, I have no idea how."

"Well it is my curse Mr. Glass, I designed it, therefore I control every characters in it." Another sneer, "I believe you."

"But Akisha..."

"Is but another instrument, another puppet."

"No wonder Regina turned evil. Learning from the vilest person would do that."

"True, but you see dearie, I am upfront with Regina. She knows I am using her and I let her use me..."

"With a price..."

"All magic comes with a price. Now, would you want to know or not?" A nod was the answer Rumple got.

"And the price?"

"Why do you sound so worried about the price?" No answer, "Anyway, this one is free of deal Mr. Glass."

A frown mars the dark skinned man's face, "Why?"

"Anxious aren't you dearie?" he chuckled, "Well there is only one answer to that. If the Queen is not here nor anywhere in this world, then we will all vanish. THIS –" he said making a gesture of hands around him, "... will cease to exist."

"I don't see why..."

"Because _your_ Queen is the power that makes this town exist. Without the power of the 'caster' then everything will fade to nothingness, and _my_ reason for making this dark curse will be for naught!" he said angrily and then he immediately calmed down. "Now do you get me Mr. Glass? Why I need you here?"

He sighed, "Then what should I do?"

"Your power as the previous genie of the lamp and as the soul to the mirror will help this –" he pushed the small globe towards Sidney, "globe find Regina, no matter where she is." He looked at the dark skinned man's dark orbs, "What do you say Mirror? We could get your Queen back...here."

A pause that lasted for a moment, the ex-genie thinking over and over.

"We can't have the Queen be brought to her happy ending without you, or worst, getting her happy ending and not with you. Here, you and her are the only people who would remember. Imagine how in her lonely existence will she need a companion? And in the long run, companionship may evolve to something more?"

A smirk, "What should I do?"

Which was returned in kind, "Just give me a finger," he said winking.

-0-

[Present, Storybrooke]

"Why do you look like that?!" Regina sound alarmed at the blushed face of the so called 'savior' and the embarrassed look. "By the... YOU ARE?!" she screamed, "THIS WORLD IS SO MESSED UP!" she once again eyed the blonde woman who keeps on opening her mouth, then closing it as if she was a fish, "You can't be my happy ending! I don't have predisposition to same sex partners! I am not a SAPPHIC!"

"Ah...who-ah... I..." Emma shook her head, "I didn't say anything!" she blurted out.

The queen stopped pacing, "I'm no stupid Miss Swan is it?" A nod of blonde hair, "You may not have utter a word but your FACE said it all!"

"I – I – " she stood and raised her hands in the air, she huffed and turned to leave the house.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

"OUT!" Emma shouted and without getting her trusty red, leather jacket, she stormed off the mansion towards nowhere in particular.

"MISS SWAN!"

-0-

The door to the diner, and in affiliation the bell, got the brunt of Emma's hyper emotion.

"From the looks of things, there's problem in 'heave' at the moment!" Ruby grinned, as instead of greeting her friend, she opted to tease.

"RUBY!" Emma said and then she dropped her body on the high stool in the bar, "I FUCK UP!"

"huh?"

"I FUCK UP! What now? You can't understand street English anymore?"

Ruby shrugged her shoulders, "The Queen is rubbing off on me?"

"I'm serious!"

"Okay," Ruby looked around to see if there are any patrons who needed her service, and since none were waving for her - _or probably everyone in the diner were content on getting into the Savior-Evil Queen gossip_ – she focused her attention on her 'needy' friend and part time boss. "So how in the world were you able to fuck up your situation Emma? Regina hasn't been here long. She just woke up yesterday afternoon so she hasn't even breathed more than 24 hours."

"True, and she hasn't stopped asking questions since this morning!" she growled.

"So?"

"So I fuck up!"

"Huh?"

"Damn it Ruby!" Emma was interrupted by a hot choco drink laid in front of her. She looked up and smiled at Granny.

"I could see you'll need this Sheriff." The old woman said smirking, and then she return to her domain, the kitchen.

"You got free choco, so now will you stop swearing for just a minute and tell me how you end up thinking that way?"

She sipped the hot beverage, and then sighed before talking again, "I kind of told her that I am her happy ending in not so many words..." she saw Ruby's jaw dropped – _surprise or aghast, she has no idea – "_Well... no words actually..."

"Ha?" Ruby's shoulders dropped, "I don't get it, Emma..."

"She just blurted out something about me being her happy ending after being shocked with all the information..."

"Whoa, back up, back up, she said you were her happy ending?" And before she could answer the query, the door once again opened forcefully, and the bell this time shook so hard, it now hang limply by it's hinge.

"I SAID NO SUCH THING!" Regina, the Evil Queen bellowed as she stomped her way towards the wide eyed duo. She was wearing this time her signature high heeled shoes, and her face was so angry she was ready to breath fire from her mouth as if she was the human embodiment of SMAUG the greedy dragon.

Ruby raised both hands in the air in an action of surrender and slowly backed out by the way of the diner's kitchen. "Help Granny?"

Emma heard the old woman's uncaring answer, _I got no quarrel with the queen – _"Look, Regina..."

"Don't you dare Regina me! I am YOUR QUEEN!" The seething brunette jabbed a finger on the sitting woman's shoulder.

"Hey!" Emma stood. The Queen was now in her space, breathing down her, "There's no need for that! And NO! You are not my Queen so I will call you REGINA!"

Another commentary from the kitchen, "wrong move," and then a hissed "Granny!"

"You imbecilic, no good, ill-mannered peasant! You will show your respect TO ME!" The fuming woman's face was so close to that of Emma's and whatever the blonde woman's retort , was replaced by the feeling of deja vu. _How many times had we been in this situation before? How was I not able to tell the excitement that coursed through me every time this woman invades my space? How big of an idiot was I?_ The younger woman thought. She missed the fire within her, the fire ignited by this strong, witty, funny, lovely and adorable woman.

So in her usual idiotic self, she acted before thinking. A little bit of space to hurdle, a lean in the right direction, with an unusual calm and inborn guts, her own, thin, supple lips descended on the other woman's pouty, red, luscious and moving ones.

And then there was silence – broken by –

"Now that's just the right move to shut anyone up!" Comments always free flowing from the old woman's lips.

Another silence when the shocked evil queen's palm forcefully collided on the savior's right cheek. "IMP!" she shouted before she hurriedly turned and ran out of the diner.

"You know what they say about slapping yes?" Ruby said to Emma who has a hand on her aching right cheek, "If someone slap your right cheek, offer your left one?" The joke was not received instead, a determined look crossed the savior's face. Ruby knows what's going to happen next, "Come on Emma, don't force the issue...let her cool down, she..."

"Shut up," was all the Sheriff said before she too hurriedly left the diner.

-0-

"The punishment for impertinent peasants who are stupid enough to stalk me is death." the low, sexy voice of the mayor greeted the blonde.

"First of your majesty, I might be impertinent but I am no peasant, and second, I am not stalking you." she stepped close to the smaller woman, standing beside her now.

"So you being here is what? Coincidence?"

"No," Emma sighed. She looked at the woman beside her who met her green orbs, "I know this is your favorite place when you want to escape the town and the problems of being the mayor." there was no answer. "We had been bickering like a married couple for a long time, since I got here actually, and the funny part is that, we share a son, so... could be misinterpreted as such." Emma's face scrunched a little, and then she returned her focus on the calm sea.

She had given the older woman time to calm her nerves before she continued her trek to the shore. Just like her and Henry, this place was a thinking haven for them. Not once did they found themselves walking along the sanded plain, saying nothing.

"Why did you kiss me?" the question was supposed to be delivered in anger, but Emma heard it differently, it was said with trepidation instead.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time." she said sighing at her confession. "It has been long since we had fought like that, you were invading my space and...and...I missed how that was, I missed how those times made me feel."

"I am the Evil Queen."

"You WERE the Queen. You ARE Regina." the blonde shrugs her shoulders.

Another lull moment, before broken by the brunette, "Why is it so important to you to distinguish Regina from the Evil Queen Miss Swan? We are one and the same."

"No, I don't believe that."

"Then you really are an idiot, just like your predecessors."

Emma has a come back for that, but for the sake of not sounding so sappy and needy, she decided to bite her tongue this time. The only sound was the two women's breathing and the waves.

"So what is a mayor?" she asked.

The blonde woman smiled, "It's the equivalent of a Queen or King in this town."

Regina looked at the other woman, "And you?"

"I'm the Sheriff, equivalent to a constable or a knight of the highest rank... whatever you call it,"

A dark brow arched, "You're telling me you are a Lord in this place?"

The younger woman smirked, "If that's what you call it, I am the daughter of a King, so I'm technically a princess but, being a Lord as you say is much preferable."

"So I own the place?"

"No, you govern the place, but you do not own it, you do not own anyone or anything aside from what is legally yours." a good answer in the Sheriff's opinion.

Another silence.

"You talked about my mother trying to come here, did she?"

_Oh-oh... now now,_ "Pass."

"Pass?"

"That means I beg not to answer the question?"

The Queen faced her and galred, "You dared kiss me in front of all those peasants, and NOW you beg to not answer my question? It is a simple one Miss Swan!"

"I just don't want to shock you more."

"I am already in shock, so I doubt there is anything you can add that would affect me more."

a shrug of well formed shoulders, "She came here, wreak havoc... with Hook,"

"That smelly, good for nothing pirate, what does my mother see in him to get him on her side?"

"Well for one, he has a bean? Or I think, beans as in plural?" I said scratching my nape.

"Alright, I can understand that." she nodded her head, "So you said she isn't here anymore?"

"Technically," chocolate colored eyes narrowed, "She's here, but – but – she's not – ARGH!" Emma tried hard not to pull all her hair out. "Do you really want to know this now? You're just here less than a day!"

"Tell me!"

She sighed, "Instead of telling you, why don't I show her to you?" the sudden widening of the queen's eyes, the dilated pupils, the paleness of the face and sudden quivering of lips was a clear indication of how this 'EVIL QUEEN' folds at the mere idea of her mother being in the same place as she is.

_Now I wonder if I should really feel the anger for my mother's action, damn... the woman had scarred my Regina to the bone! And she still clamors for her love and attention!_ She nodded at the brunette, kept herself from reaching out - because getting another slap on the face was not in her agenda at all – and then lead the way to her car.

"What is this ugly scrap?!"

-End Chapter 10-


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I... I who have nothing, I... I who have no one... still owns nothing.

**SECOND CHANCES**

_Chapter 11_

Emma grinned and mocked bow in front of Regina, "This scrap your majesty, is the _scrap_ that will bring us to where we are going without you breaking a callous..."

"I don't have a callous!" The brunette huffed in irritation

"...whatever, but riding _this_ is better than _you_ walking all the way from here to the cemetery. I doubt your royal feet would disagree with me on this."

Another harrumphed before the elegant woman walked towards the small beetle which Emma was used to being pertained to as her _death trap_ by the woman. "So what? Am I going to just stand here?" the older woman sassed which earned her a full blown smile from the sheriff.

"Well, normally you'd just open the door and crawl in but..." Emma ran to the passenger door and yanked it open,

"What is that sound? Are you sure this is safe?!"

"Hey, I just forgot to oil the hinges! I was busy getting to you!" another frown found its way on the blond woman's face. "Just get in will you?!"

"Impertinent..."

"Yeah, yeah I know! And here I thought, Rumple was the only 'imp' in your life!"

"And how wrong we are, aren't we?" Emma rolled her eyes, of course, the Queen always gets the last dig! But then again, the sheriff thought, she wouldn't have fallen for the Queen if she wasn't sassy enough to turn her on.

_Gutter alert! Gutter alert!_

Emma shook the thought away and watched as the elegant woman tried not to shiver in disgust as she acquaints herself inside her small, sturdy and reliable bug. She closed the door and rubbed the hood near the edge, "Don't worry bee, I do understand you." she mumbled.

"Are you talking to this abomination you call a carriage Miss Swan?" a well manicured brow raised in question.

"No, I was talking to myself!" she turned and started walking to her side of the car, when she was there, she opened the driver's door and sat behind the wheel, "And FYI, this is a car, not a carriage."

"FYI?"

-0-

The silence was thick as the two women entered the Mills mausoleum, the sheriff clearly saw the gasped that erupted from the older woman's lips as she saw the fake grave with her father's name. She just watched as the woman knelt, her body leaned forward, and without seeing, Emma knew the woman is breaking.

She was there when Regina took her own father's heart and crushed it to enact this curse, just for her to end up in a world that was so different from what she planned. A future she designed to crush everyone's happy ending, especially that of Snow White and yet, here she was watching everyone remember, and the damn princess having her happy ending complete with a grown up daughter and a loving, handsome grandson.

She can't fathom the pain the woman is now in, and she had decided, she'll bring the woman's happy ending. She was sure as hell, it will be her to bring _it_ on.

"I didn't know I was able to put him..."

Emma touched the older woman's shoulder, ready to feel the rejection once the woman flinched from it, but it didn't happen, so she thought, at least its a good start. "You brought him with you when you enacted the curse. You named Henry after him."

"I did..." the sad reply was almost inaudible.

"But this crypt doesn't actually has your father's remain." The look Regina gave her was enough to make her continue. "Come on I'll show you." She helped the woman to her feet and then she led her to the side before she pushed on the tomb, revealing the secret stairway.

"Oh yeah, I would have totally do that." She said after sniffing,

"Yeah, no one knew until..." she looked at the woman beside her who was eyeing her to go on,

"Until what?"

"Until after the curse was broken."

A frown marr the beautiful face of Regina, "So, I successfully enacted the curse and everyone forgets about their old selves..."

"Except you and Mr. Gold,"

"You mean Rumple?" Regina saw the blond nod her head, "And then... you saved them?" Another nod, "By breaking the curse?" one more nod, "How?"

"I think that story is far better suited for our next conversation, let's go down." Emma didn't wait for the other woman, she hurriedly lead the way.

As the two scoured the hidden chamber, questions started trickling inside Regina's head. Everything around her was new, and if this chamber was hers, why does it feel new too? She'd probably get more answers next time.

"My mother..."

"She's here." Regina turned her head to see the blond woman enter another door less chamber. She followed and she stopped. Stunned at the vision of her mother lying peacefully inside a modern glass coffin. "You out a spell on this coffin to preserve her body."

The regal woman slowly stepped closer and held a hand on top of the glass cover. "Mother,"

"I'll give you sometime with her..."

She has no idea what has gotten into her, but she knew it was her who had said, "No please... stay," though for the life of her, she can't recall a time when she sounded so scared and needy, and have someone saw it in her.

"I'll just be at the entrance, I won't go anywhere Regina." Emma said as she slowly turned to give the ex-queen the space she knew the older woman needed.

"I... I've said my goodbyes to my mother when we were still at the Enchanted Forest. I have to do it..." Emma turned around, "I told hook to kill her because she was my weakness."

"And he failed,"

Regina nodded, "I assumed that since you said she made her way here. So how..."

"Regina..."

"Just tell me,"

Emma sighed, so what should she tell her? Should she tell the truth? Lie? Evade? "Regina..."

"Did I kill her?" Regina turned her head to where Emma was. The blond woman closed her eyes as she nodded her head. The tears on the brunette's eyes flowed freely.

"You were tricked..."

"It's probably for the best," she took a deep breath and made her best effort to build up her walls again.

"She loved you," Emma said as she walked beside the woman.

"So she said,"

"She does." Emma smiled, "Did you know she didn't have her heart with her? That's why Hook failed." The look of surprise crossed the older woman's face.

"So all those time..."

"She chose to not have her heart and secure wealth and power than to be dragged down by love."

"Love is weakness,"

"You and her had proven that phrase to be wrong Regina." Emma watched the other woman's expression turned into panic, "Regina,"

"No it can't... I can't believe that, I can't..."

"Regina..." And before Emma could hold on to the woman, Regina turned and hurriedly ran outside. "REGINA!" she called and ran after the distraught woman.

-0-

[30 years ago, Storybrooke]

"All you have to do is concentrate, let my magic and yours guide you." Mr. Gold said in his calmest voice. Sidney Glass was seated on a chair in front of a table where the white globe was standing. There were was a map visible in the globe in red due to the Mirror man's blood, and a small white dot could be clearly seen marring the red map.

Sidney opens his eyes and looked at the long needle he was holding, "I don't think I can do this Gold,"

Rumple growled, "If you don't do this glass, then we will vanish without you getting your happy ending!"

"But I don't want to hurt Regina,"

"You won't! She'll be put in a sleeping curse there and then _I_ can pull her out of that wretched place and bring her here! So NO! she's not going to hurt for long!"

"But..."

"Don't try my patience Mr. Glass!"

"Why don't you do it?"

Another growl, "Because..." he tried to calm himself and succeeded a bit, "Whatever magic caused you to remember, is the same magic that brought the Queen to this realm." He said pointing at the white dot in the globe, "You see? She is in a parallel world, which means this - " she looked around him, "is a redundant world, and do you know what the FATES does to a redundant world?"

"Ah... destroy them?"

"Erase them, so yes, close enough."

"Maybe I had my happy ending there?" he asked nervously.

A smirk on the crocodile's face, "You think I care if you get your happy ending there or not? The truth is, I don't."

"Then I'm not helping you,"

"I may not have my full power here Mr. Glass, but I own Storybrooke and I could make you disappear – for good."

The dark skinned man gulped and nodded his head, "She won't be hurt for long, you promise me."

"Deal." he said with his usual sneer. "Now sit still and let my magic guide yours..."

-0-

"Regina!" Emma was glad the woman was wearing her usual stiletto, it made running after her easier.

"Leave me alone!"

"NO!"

Regina stopped and whirled around to face the sheriff, "Why can't you just let me be?"

"I brought you here, you are now my responsibility until everything calms down."

"What? Everyone is after me? They plan to strap me in a pole and be put to death via arrows?" she asked angrily, "Or better, strap on a pole to be burned at stake?!"

"Come on! This isn't about you Regina! This isn't about what the town is going to do to you because you know deep inside, even if you were just here less than a day that the town is not after your beautiful head anymore!"

"WHY?!" She asked getting angrier, "After all I've done, after all the heart I crushed, why would no one wants me dead?!"

"Because believe me or not, that's not you anymore... it was never you from the start."

"No..."

"Believe me Regina,"

"Love is weakness... if not..."

"I think I understand where you're coming, your father and your mother forgave you Regina. You are enough..."

"No..." And it was as if her world crumbled, Regina's knee shook and she fell into the taller woman's embrace, "I killed my father. I have his heart in my hands, I felt his love for me...and I crushed it!"

"It was Rumple's idea,"

"I let him, I let him shaped me..."

"Regina, please..." both women were now on the ground outside of the mausoleum. Silence aside from the sound of Regina sobbing. It was peaceful, but something nags Emma at the back of her neck. There was something wrong.

She looked around but see nothing, but her instinct told her they or Regina was in danger. "Regina," no answer as the woman remained silent, the sobbing had stopped. "I think we are in danger, something is happening."

A sniffle and the crying woman straightened herself, "Yes, I can feel something," she said frowning. The imminent danger pushing her grief down to her subconscious. "I think we need to leave,"

"I agree," Emma said as she stood up and helped the other woman to her feet. Just as they were about to turn, Emma saw the invisible hand that had formed out of nowhere, and then an invisible, large pointy thing formed from the hand and she was sure, the direction of the needle was directed at Regina's back.

"REGINAAA!"

-0-

The door to the diner was once again forcefully opened. The bell was not lucky this time as it fell to the floor and shattered into pieces. "Where is Regina?" Mr. Gold asked anxiously.

"Mr. Gold?" Ruby watched the worried expression on the older man's face. Granny Lucas walked out of her kitchen and stepped beside her grand daughter. The other patrons of the diner, including Leroy and Nova turned their focus on the seemingly distraught pawnshop owner.

"Am I not English enough?" He shouted, "Where is Regina?!"

"What's the matter!" Granny Lucas asked this time matching the man's tone.

"I'll tell you what's the matter... someone from her past wants her down, oh... let me rephrase that, someone from a parallel world needs Regina and she can only get there one way..."

"Dead?" Leroy asked shrugging.

Mr. Gold eyed the dwarf angrily, "Death is way better than be put to a sleeping spell forever, don't you think?"

"She's with Emma! I have no idea where they went," Ruby blurted out, "I'll help you find them!"

"Let's go then," Mr. Gold said turning around without waiting.

"Granny, tell Snow..." Ruby said and smiled when the old woman nodded her head. She ran out after Rumplestiltskin.

-End 11-

I thought this chap's not going to make 2000 words. Ahehehe. I'll just cook our dinner, and then I'll be back to write the continuation. I know you'd hate to be left with a cliff hanger, and since I've let you wait for long, I'll update fast. No beta so, forgive the grammar. Me no English, I tagalog. Ahehehe.


	13. Chapter 13

Sorry! Our dinner last this long! LOL. The next one will be the final chapter, I may or may not write an epilogue, depends on what comes out of the final chap. I think this will be longer compared to the previous chapters.

**Second Chances**

_Chapter 12_

[Earlier]

"Rumple?" Belle called out when she saw the panicky look on the man who had come out of his work station abruptly. "What's wrong?"

"Something is going to happen, Regina is in danger,"

"What? But..."

"I could feel it Belle," he said behind gritted teeth, "I can't explain what, but it has something to do with my power,"

"I don't understand,"

"There's no time to understand now Belle!" he said frustrated, "I need to find Regina."

Belle nodded, "I got a message from Ruby and said the Queen is at Granny's."

"I'll head over there." Without waiting for response, he waved his hand and disappear in purple smoke.

-0-

"REGINAAA!"

The brunette turned to see the blond woman running, she squinted her eyes to see what was wrong but saw nothing. She watched as the running woman jumped in front of her and suddenly landed on the cemetery ground, prone and unconscious. "Miss Swan?" Regina looked around to see anything out of the ordinary, without her magic she can't say what happened, and being in a new environment was of no help. She hurriedly knelt beside the unconscious woman and shook her shoulder, "Miss Swan! This is no time for game!" she yelled but there was no response.

She looked at the woman intently and her eyes widened. She placed a finger in front of the other woman's nose and found her breathing, she's alive but the regular rhythm though had given her enough clue as to what happened to Emma Swan -

"Sleeping curse..."

-0-

[30 years ago, Storybrooke]

Mr. Gold suddenly took his hand away from that of Sidney glass. He was panting since he had expended all his energy to cross world with the help of the power that had made the man in the mirror remember. He knew that a powerful magic was used to override his curse; to make this man remember and transport Regina to a parallel world without using the hatter's hat, and then for someone to thwart his plan! He screamed in frustration.

"Did we get her?"

"No!" he yelled and looked at Sidney Glass with devilish eyes, "Would I be screaming my head out if we did dearie?!"

"So what happens now?"

He snickered and sat at the ground, "We only had one shot... and that was it Glass." he sighed. "Whatever took Regina from me, or whoever took her from me is much powerful than I thought..."

Not moments after their exchange, both men felt the ground started to quake. "What is that?" the dark haired man asked as he stood abruptly, his heart almost jumping out of his chest.

"That," he sneered, "...is the feel of us being erased." And out of nowhere, a large root penetrated the wall of the once pristine pawnshop.

"How can we stop it?" He shouted.

"That's the problem dearie, since we failed, it means we have to stop to exist. Inevitable."

"Nooooo!"

-0-

Regina was frantic. The one person other than her nana who had plowed through to her psyche is now lying unconscious on the ground, what's worse is that Emma is under a sleeping spell and for once, she was innocent. A sleeping curse... and since she hadn't seen Maleficent around, nor Rumplestiltskin, everyone in this cursed town will point their fingers – _oh how I'd love to break all those fingers!_ – to no one else but her.

Her focus once again on sleeping Emma, the daughter of Snow White, the birth mother of Henry who was her adopted son. How crazy her family tree had gotten. And just this morning, this woman had, in not so many words said that she _is_ the happy ending she was searching. _Ah, and what happened to the man with the lion tattoo?_ She asked herself, _that_, would have make this tree far more complicated. Snow's supposed evil stepmother canoodling with Snow's daughter, who Rumple prophesized to be the savior – she shook her head.

Sighing and then continuously studying the peaceful facial expression that overcome the woman, she knew, not from experience, but from Maleficient's explanation, that the sleeping curse she made, the same one she used on Aurora was a fate worst than death. Inside the curse, you are thrown into a world of regret, a world of pain and suffering. _Perhaps it was not as different from my existence, the worst part in mine is that I am living all these pains and suffering with an intact body, I agonize with my eyes open, and that I have an option to stop the pain but couldn't._

Her musing was cut short at the sound of people calling for the woman. She stood and shout back, and soon she was joined by Rumplestiltskin, Ruby or should she call her Red... and not far away from the werewolf was Snow White... she rolled her eyes, _of all people!_

"Regina," Mr. Gold called out frowning. He was looking around, "I can feel the residual magic, what happened?"

The older brunette shook her head, "I don't know. I just saw Miss Swan running towards me and then she fell on the ground." the frown on Ruby's face was visible.

"Regina..." It was Snow's mellow voice that got her attention. The small brunette obviously cried on her way to the cemetery, if her tears were for her daughter's predicament, she wouldn't dare to guess. There was this look of wanting in her eyes though, but for what? Once again, she dare not know. She bristled and tried to control her temper and was succeeding when her arch foe stepped beside her, anonymity not present and the feeling of desire to be close palpable, and then, "EMMA!" eyes wide, she lunged at the lying woman in panic.

"I think she is under a sleeping curse." Regina explained behind grinding teeth.

"WHAT?" both Ruby and Snow asked apprehensively.

"Don't look at me, I am innocent this time." she huffed in defense.

"I believed Regina," Mr. Gold said, "As I've said, I can smell the residual magic in the air, and it doesn't bear Regina's signature."

The Queen looked at the two women, silently telling them _see? _" So who did this if it was not me?" Regina asked and once again eyed the two women with raised eyebrows.

He took a deep breath, "Me,"

"What?" the three women asked in unison, and Rumple smiled. He thought, it was a first, at least the three agreed on something this time.

"I need to find out what happened, but I doubt there's anything that will help us here, grab the sheriff and bring her to my shop, we'll do something once we are there." he said authoritatively.

"You expect me to just follow you Imp?"

A sneer, "Do you have any suggestion your majesty?" he chuckled when the Queen remained silent, "Thought so," he then looked at Ruby, "Once we get the sheriff safe in my shop, fetch Henry."

"I got a whole lot of my stuff in my crypt." Regina found her voice once again.

Rumple frowned, "You want to wake the Sheriff there? And where will we put her your majesty? Inside one of the empty glass coffins you kept there?"

"Well," Regina inclined her head to the side, "History repeats itself?"

"Huh?" Ruby was the only one who didn't get the faux pas

Snow sighed and faced her best friend, "Charming did wake me up inside a glass coffin..."

"Oh-oh... yeah!" Ruby said grinning and then looked at Rumple, "Mr. Gold, I think it will be easier for me to carry Emma into Regina's crypt than carry her to your shop, that's farther." she said it like she was just explaining a simple mathematical equation to a child.

"We're not walking dearie! I can... as what our good sheriff says... _poof_ us into my shop, _all of us_. And please, waking the savior in a glass coffin is so cliché!" He gritted his teeth, "And the one I need to use to know what we are dealing with, if this is a sleeping curse or not is in _my vault_ and I doubt your majesty had possession of it."

No rebuttal from anyone. A confuse look on the were woman, a resigned expression on the princess, and an angry scowl on the queen, but no words to refute the old man's point. "Okay, point taken," Regina broke the silence, "But why do we need Henry?"

Another sigh of frustration came from the aggravated man, "We are talking about a curse, so no matter what we find out, there is but one way to get the sheriff out of it."

Snow sighed while Ruby rolled her eyes, "True loves kiss," both women answered.

A frown mar the Queen's face, "Well, that's true... but - " she eyed the others who looked at her quizzically, "Henry is Emma's son, and by our world's definition, he can't be her true love."

Snow white interrupted, "Emma had woken Henry up from the sleeping curse with a kiss."

"What? Henry was under..."

"This is not the time to talk about this Miss Blanchard," Mr. Gold intervened and then eyed Regina seriously, "You may have a point Regina, and that's why you'll be the back up."

"Me?" she asked bewildered, scared... anxious.

"It's just a hunch." he said, "let's head out ladies," he said disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.

"RUMPLE!" Regina screamed when she found herself left with women she didn't think should be with her, "Yes... leave me with these two imbeciles!"

"Hey!" Ruby said as she lifted Emma's body to her shoulder. "I thought he said he's going to poof us all back to his shop?" she growled and then, Regina's comment sunk in and she indignantly looked at the queen, "And Hey!"

"Alright! Idiots then!"

"Hey!" It was Snow this time.

"RUMPLE!"

He appeared once again surrounded by his purple smoke, sneering, "Sorry, I forgot." He said chuckling, "Now dearies, it's time you three hold hands!" it was a tease in his usual evil way. The three women eyed each other, while Ruby and Snow has no qualms holding hands together, Regina was doubtful and unmoving, but glares coming from three pair of eyes made her sigh in defeat and held one of the women's hand.

Unlucky for Ruby, the queen decided to have her hand in the queen's tight and strong grip.

"Fuck Regina, easy on the hand!" And before the queen could reply, they all disappear within purple smoke.

-0-

"Mom!" Henry barged in Mr. Gold's pawnshop, he was panting from running; he was at the dock with the pirate when he received _the_ call from Ruby and ran all the way from there to the shop. He saw his mother sitting on a chair, way away from his ma, who was peacefully sleeping on the cot that he remembered where his other grandfather lay, under another sleeping curse. A curse he watched his mom made, the first time he acknowledged the power his adoptive mother possessed. "What happened?"

He looked at his brunette mother who returned his look but said nothing. She turned her head to once again look outside the window. Snow smiled at her grandson and stepped close, she put an arm around his shoulder, awkward as it was since Henry had outgrown her already. She patted his shoulder to appease his negative feelings towards the matter at hand. "Rumple is still looking into it. It seemed your Ma just fell on the ground and your mom thinks she is under a sleeping curse."

Henry frowned, "You mean the same curse you, grandpa and me went into?" he watched both Snow and Ruby nod their heads. "Oh great, now everyone in my family had been cursed! Isn't that funny or what?"

"I think it's more _or what_," The people in the room turned their head on Mr. Gold who came in with a mixed expression on his face. "What do you want to hear first? The good news or the bad news?"

"Bad!" Everyone in the room said except for the queen.

"She is under a sleeping curse. So in a way, that is good and bad news. Well, we know how to counter it already, and Henry is here."

"Okay!" Henry hurriedly stepped beside his Ma's sleeping form. "So who put my Ma in there?" he asked sadly.

"That's actually the other good news," he smirked, "I did," once again all eyes were on him including that of Regina's.

"How the hell did that become a good news?" Regina asked angrily.

Mr. Gold raised his hand in surrender, "It was me... but it wasn't me... kind of complicated, I know." he watched the others in the room raise their brows at the same time. "Alright, first of all, from a hunch, that sleeping curse wasn't meant for the sheriff," he looked at Regina who nods her head.

"What do you mean?" Snow asked eyeing Rumple first and then her once arch nemeses.

"I think it was meant for me." Regina said sighing, "Miss Swa... Emma, I just saw her jumping in front of me and then she fell on the ground, asleep."

Henry frowned, "Alright, I believe you mom, but why would grandpa want you under sleeping curse if he was adamant on helping me and Ma to bring you back here?!"

"Grandpa?" Regina asked bewildered, and a raise of one dark brow from the dark one was the answer she got, "Alright, I forgot!" she rolled her eyes, "Good gracious! What the hell happened to my family tree!"

Ruby laughed, "Imagine how crazy that would be if you end up being Emma's true love,"

"RUBY!" Snow and Henry called out, both with wide eyes.

"Oh come on!" the red streaked haired woman said huffing, "we'll find out soon anyway, so go kiss your Ma Henry!"

Henry didn't move, "No one answered my question!"

"Well Henry," Mr. Gold said calmly, "It was the _me_ of another realm that wanted to put your mom under the curse. Remember, we took your mom that was supposed to go into Storybrooke thirty years ago?" Everyone nodded but Regina.

"I don't understand it!" The queen yelled.

"Let me finish this explanation your majesty and you will after," he eyed the queen who nodded her head. "So anyway, the world that supposed to be made through that curse which we altered had become a redundant world. That world had already existed and had passed, right?" Another nod of heads, "When we successfully took Regina out of it, that world becomes the carbon copy. Unlike if we failed to get Regina, then our world, will be the carbon copy and we will stop to exist."

"Why? Can't both world exist at the same time? What happened to parallel worlds coexisting?" Henry asked with a frown.

"Okay, may I say that I did raise a fine son." Regina said smiling proudly at the question Henry posed, she would have asked the same thing. She didn't missed the proud expression on the boy's face at the platitude she gave.

"Well you did raise him well Regina. Anyway, to answer that question, parallel worlds may co exist if and only if, we don't tamper on the space-time continuum." he smiled.

"And how did you managed to tamper on that? The last I know, only time travel could do that!"

"And we did," Mr. Gold said and lean his head towards the sleeping woman, "Or should I say Emma did. We used someone's time portal to get into the Enchanted Forest. It wouldn't have affected both worlds so much if Emma just get in there, take a look at you and return. But no, it wasn't our intention to just go there, we wanted to take _you_ and bring you in here, and that dearie, was against the rule of co-existence."

"So one world should be erased?"

"Yes and it's all because of someone's existence or not in either world,"

"Regina's?" Snow asked this time.

"Yes, that's why me in the other world decided to put Regina under the sleeping curse. He could easily get her from there and into their world and stop their world from disappearing. The world you go to under the sleeping curse is the in between of every realms, so it is easier to get someone from there than get that someone from another realm in the same dimension."

"That's impossible, there must be a connection there and here to be able to make a move like that." Regina said frowning.

"True, and me of that world found that connection, and I'm pretty sure, the connection was with you."

"What?"

"It maybe a what or who, we'll never know." he looked at his grandson, "Go on Henry, let's wake up your mother."

"My ma," he said smiling and looking at Regina, "She's my mother." Everyone just smiled at him, the queen looked surprised. "So, what if the other you try again?"

"I doubt that Henry, since your mother had been here more than twenty four hours now, I am sure that other world is being erased as we speak."

The boy nodded and he sat beside his sleeping birth mother, "I love you Ma, please come back to us." he whispered and slowly, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on his ma's forehead.

one thousand one – one thousand two – one thousand three – one thousand four – one thousand...

"She... she's not waking up!" Henry said loudly, sadness, anger, anxiety in his voice. "That can't be! She woke me up! I must wake her up too! I love her!"

Snow hurriedly embraced the boy, "We know Henry, we know,"

"Then why won't it work?"

They heard the exasperated sigh from the queen's lips, "Because Henry's love does not fit in the True love's category. You know Snow that there is only One True Love, is it not?" she watched her once stepdaughter nod her head. "Let me ask you Henry, is your love toward your Ma more than the love you feel for your grandmother?"

He frowned, looked at the sleeping woman and then at the woman hugging him...

"Okay, how about your love for your Ma and for me?" at that Henry's eyes widened in apprehension.

"Of course not! I love you both equally! You are my moms!"

"There you go," Regina said smiling. Her smile this time was genuine unlike the sneer and smirks she bestowed everyone in this town upon her arrival, aside from her nana. "There is only one true love Henry, which means, for a kiss to break a curse, the one who will bestow the kiss loves the cursed person more than anyone, that the bestower would choose the cursed one no matter what situation, no matter the history, no matter the outcome."

"But..."

"Your love for your ma should outweigh your love to anyone else, including me. That's what true love is supposed to be."

"I love you too mom!" he said stepping close to the queen cautiously, and when the queen opened her arms for the boy, he let his self be engulfed in arms so familiar yet different. He knew though that sooner or later, her mom will be back. "What are we going to do?"

"Regina?" It was Rumple who spoke, "It is a hunch, but Emma had gone from hell and back to get you,"

"I do not believe in true love anymore Rumple."

"Then maybe it's time for you to believe once again." Rumple said before he turned. "Think about it." he looked at Snow and Ruby and silently sent them the message to leave the queen alone.

Regina felt the soft hand of Snow touch her arm, she looked down and was aghast at herself for not feeling the usual anger and contempt at the small woman. Instead, there was acceptance at the silent offer of camaraderie from her once enemy. The knowing smile the taller brunette bestowed on her was also not something she was used to getting.

"Mom, please? You need to try."

Regina look down at the pleading face of a son she hardly knew, there was a tug in her chest, a pull she can't put a name on. "I don't want to disappoint you Henry, if Rumple was implying that your ma loves me _that _way, I can positively tell you that I do not."

"But isn't True love predestined? Grandma said it is that way, and that once upon a time you taught her that."

The smile on her face was sad, "Once upon a time Henry, I wasn't the evil queen."

"And you're not anymore."

"Yes I am."

"Not here," he bit his lower lip, "I know that now." At the quizzical look on her mom's face, he said, "You can ask Ma everything when she wakes up, but for now, you are our only hope. Please don't let her suffer long in there." he said before he once again hugged his brunette mother, putting all his love and affection to that move and then he slowly pulled away. "I'll go and give you space to think."

At his mother's nod, Henry turned and left Regina alone with the sleeping woman.

And maleficent said there will be a big hole in her heart once she enacts the curse... _how wrong you are._

-end 12-

We all know Regina will kiss Emma on the next chapter, that's a given... but is that all that's going to happen? Kiss, Emma wakes up and that's it thank you very much? Maybe? LOL. Not going to take long to update, promise.

Henry


End file.
